The Distance to My Heart
by Ceiphied Knight
Summary: When Data transported the four cryogenically frozen humans from the derelict satellite, he did it because it seemed the right thing to do. But he had no way of knowing how it would affect his future.
1. The Neutral Zone

_When Data transported the four cryogenically frozen humans from the derelict satellite, he did it because it seemed the right thing to do. But he had no way of knowing how it would affect his future._

AU Remix ficlets of "To the Moon and Back." Samantha was not brought over during the movie timeline, but at the very beginning of the series; during the final episode of the first season, "The Neutral Zone."

This is going to be a REALLY slow burn romance. So if that's not your thing, or if an OC that I've been toying with for over seven years isn't your thing…you should probably look elsewhere!

If you do decide to read, thank you for your time! These are not going to be detailed retellings of every single episode because I'm gonna assume you're familiar with the episodes. Most are from Samantha's or Data's viewpoint.

* * *

**The Neutral Zone**

"I wish to stay aboard, sir," the youngest human, Samantha Jacobs, said with determination. She stood in the observation lounge, while the other surviving humans from her time sat and stared at her.

Ralph Offenhouse, the most vocal of the survivors, said with indignation, "and do what?"

"That's not your concern," Samantha said, not breaking eye contact with Captain Picard.

"Sir, if I may," said Data, the android who had literally pulled them from death. "I volunteer to be Samantha's benefactor."

He walked over to stand next to Samantha, showing his support. Though he had explained to her that he felt no human emotions, Samantha was convinced that he must, in his own way. He had been nothing but supportive and caring during this entire ordeal. He even seemed to make friends easily.

Waking up to find oneself about 300 years in the future was enough of a shock…but, in Samantha's case, the biggest shock had come when she discovered that she'd been dead. She didn't remember being ill, but Dr. Crusher had explained that her illness, much like that of fellow survivor Clare Raymond, would have come on very suddenly. A brain aneurism that the doctor had easily been able to locate and repair. But, unlike Clare, Samantha had no family to speak of. She could only assume that her grandmother had paid to have her cryogenically frozen. It would have been just like her to throw her money away on some kind of new and useless technology or idea.

Except it hadn't been useless, after all.

Without stopping to reflect on whether or not it was appropriate, Samantha reached down and took one of Commander Data's hands in her own, lacing their fingers together. She was not from a military family and really had no use for all their rules and regulations…but she knew a friend when she saw one, and knew that they were worth holding onto. She was surprised to find that his hand was warm, then wondered why she thought it wouldn't be. Even in her time, people were trying to do away with prejudice and Sam was no different. She tried to put any future prejudice from her mind. Android or not, he was most definitely her friend.

"Her benefactor?" Captain Picard repeated. He had first seemed to Samantha to be very serious and brooding, but underneath it all she thought there was a kind, caring man. She held her breath.

"Yes, Captain," Data explained, "I am prepared to take personal responsibility for Samantha's safety, well-being, and training aboard the Enterprise."

"I'm a fast learner," Samantha chimed in. "I could easily work at the bar, or fetch things for different departments…I would make myself useful, I swear."

Picard dared a smile. "Fine, then. Permission granted. Lieutenant Commander Data, please escort Ms. Jacobs to suitable quarters. We'll work out the details later."


	2. Elementary, Dear Data

**Elementary, Dear Data**

"I don't like the way she treats you," Samantha complained after Dr. Pulaski's diatribe regarding Data's mechanical nature.

"But in many ways, she is right about me," Data said, "I cannot understand the 'fun' of a mystery, especially when I already know the outcome."

"But it would be the same for any of us," Samantha argued, leaning against the bar and absently wiping it down with a rag. "I used to read these books about a forensic sculptor who tried to bring the bodies of dead children home to their families; so if I played as her in one of your holodeck programs, but I already knew who the killer was, it would be the same thing."

Data nodded, "that is true. But at least, as a human, you have the ability to eventually forget certain details. I do not."

Samantha frowned at that. "Be that as it may, I don't like how she treats you as if you're some kind of experiment, and constantly points out that you're an android as if you didn't already know that."

"If I may say," Data replied, standing. "She treats you much the same way."

That statement gave Samantha pause.

It was true that she was saddened when Dr. Crusher had left the Enterprise only to be replaced by the much more abrasive Dr. Kate Pulaski. And since being introduced, Dr. Pulaski routinely brought Samantha in for check-ups and scans. Sam thought that the woman was just being thorough, but maybe Data had a point.

"You know what," Samantha finally said, "you might be right. You go have fun on the holodeck and give her hell!"


	3. The Schizoid Man

**The Schizoid Man**

Samantha had gone looking for him and found him in 10-Forward, making eyes at the young woman who had been Dr. Ira Graves' assistant.

Sam was off duty at this time of night, and on Thursdays she and Data usually met in her quarters for a meal and some conversation. When he hadn't shown up, she'd grown worried. After all, he never simply forgot things.

Now she felt a tightening in her chest that she couldn't exactly explain. She could only see the back of Data's head, but the blonde woman looked…frightened.

She saw Data reach out for the woman's arm, but she said something and pulled away. Data then stood, as if angry, and stormed out of 10-Forward.

He breezed right passed Samantha and said nothing. It was if he didn't even recognize her.

Something was definitely wrong.

Later that night, Samantha steeled herself and rang Data's quarters.

"Who is it?" came the curt reply.

"Data?" Samantha could hear the question hanging in the air, suffocating her, "It's me, Sam."

The door opened, and Data stood in the doorway, looking down at her. Nearly everyone towered over Samantha, but there was something in his stance that made her take a step back. Data had never frightened her. Not ever, not even since she first awoke in a different time. But something in his body language screamed 'danger' and she couldn't quite figure out why or how.

"Sam," he repeated, as if the name were new to him. As if they had not been close friends for several months now.

Then his eyes showed a spark of recognition and he said, "Oh, yes, dear Samantha! Please, come in."

He stood aside and motioned for her to enter his quarters. She almost turned and walked away, but curiosity got the best of her. She had to find out what was wrong with her friend.

She walked by him very slowly, never quite turning her back to him. Data let the door close and then studied her, but this time there was something different. It wash't a lack of recognition but something that Samantha had never felt from her friend.

Lust.

It was if he were sizing her up like a piece of meat, like boys had done back in Samantha's own time. But no one on the Enterprise had ever made her feel uncomfortable, not even Will Riker's teasing flirtations.

Not like this.

"Um, Data, you're acting a bit peculiar," Samantha finally said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"I am sorry to have worried you," he replied, and there was a slight change in the cadence of his voice.

He walked over to a sofa in the corner of the room and sat, then patted the seat next to him. Samantha arched an eyebrow but slowly walked over and sat with him.

"Is it Dr. Graves?" she asked. "I mean, he was practically the closest thing you had to family, right? Has it…affected you, somehow?"

Data turned to her and a chill ran up her spine. He was staring at her with those strange eyes again, as if he'd never seen a woman before.

Then he did something even more strange. He reached up and softly ran his index finger down Samantha's pale cheek.

"You're so beautiful," he said, completely ignoring her question. "I am sorry I never noticed it before. I was blinded by my own inadequacies."

Samantha jerked away from him and stood, angrily.

"Alright, you, whoever the hell you are!" she snapped. "First of all, you just said 'you're'…you used a contraction, which I know Data has a very hard time with! Secondly, how dare you call him inadequate when he's the best person I've ever met!"

Samantha moved toward the door, but Data surprised her by standing up twice as fast as any human could move, and grabbed Samantha by the arms. He put his face much too close to hers and whispered, "You want him, don't you? I know who you are, now. I know everything he knows. What would be so wrong with giving in? I could give you what he never could. I could love you. I could give you such pleasure…"

"Let go of me!" Samantha cried out, "you're hurting me!"

"Fine!" the Data-thing snapped and released her, letting her fall to the floor. "But I can't have you running off to warn the others."

With that, he hit her across the face so hard that she saw stars…and then nothing.

When Samantha awoke, she was in Sick Bay.

"Samantha, are you all right?" Data was at her side. She looked up at him, momentarily frightened, but something in his eyes calmed her nerves.

"You're back," she said, and her voice was husky with disuse and relief.

"Yes, it is I."

Data cautiously reached for her hand underneath the covers of the bio-bed, a habit of intimacy and trust that they had formed since Samantha had decided to stay aboard the Enterprise. She knew then, with absolute certainty, that it was really him.

Reaching out, she closed the distance and laced her fingers with his.

"What happened?" Samantha asked in a whisper.

"Dr. Graves perfected his ability to scan human neural pathways and transfer them into a positronic matrix. His personality, memories…everything that makes a person who they are, were transferred to me."

"So you were Dr. Graves when I came to see you," Samantha stated.

"Yes," Data confirmed with a nod. "I could see what he was doing, but I could not stop him. I am sorry."

Samantha forced a small smile and said, "it's not your fault, Data. You were violated in the worst way. Once I'm better, we can talk about it if you'd like."

Data gave her the awkward half-smile that she had grown to understand was his way of mimicking human behavior as well as showing his particular brand of pleasure regarding a topic.

"I would like that," he said.


	4. The Measure of a Man

**The Measure of a Man**

"Come on, we're leaving."

Samantha brushed past Data and let herself into his quarters. She had two cases, one on each shoulder, and began grabbing some of Data's personal items and tossing them into the case on her left shoulder.

"Samantha…what are you doing?" Data had not moved away from the door and was watching her with his head cocked in confusion.

Samantha paused briefly and looked up at him, her long black hair coming out of a messy braid in wisps that made her look a bit wild.

"They wouldn't let you resign, Data. They're trying to take away your most basic human rights. So we have to run away before that crazy, skinny guy takes you apart and kills you!"

Data walked over and placed a hand over hers. She was holding his holographic recording of Tasha, and he gently forced her to place it back onto the table.

"I am not human," he reminded her. "Am I deserving of basic human rights?"

Samantha's mouth dropped open as she regarded her friend.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this. Every sentient being on this ship gets rights, so why shouldn't you? Worf's not human, and no one would dare try to force something like this on him. You can't just let them do whatever they want! I come from a time when people in love weren't allowed to marry because they were of the same sex. There was still so much racism and bigotry. People feared others because of the color of their skin, or even their religion. And that's EXACTLY what's going on here! You're right, you're not human…but you are a man. You're a good man and you deserve better than this."

Data considered Samantha for a long time and then said, "they are conducting a trial as to my position in this matter. It will be decided whether or not I am Starfleet's property."

"What?!" Samantha threw both cases to the floor and looked up at Data, aghast. "How is this even a question?! I thought men hadn't owned other men on Earth for centuries, and now you're telling me they're trying to call you 'property!' How can Captain Picard be allowing this to happen?!"

"Captain Picard will be defending me…" Data began, but was cut off by Samantha's continued tirade. He had never seen her so angry before. She would sometimes become frustrated or annoyed, but this was something else entirely.

"They should let me speak!" Samantha continued. "If they're going to hold some phony trial, they should let me speak in your defense! Believe me, I have plenty I'd like to say!"

Data opened his mouth and then closed it again. He was quiet for a long moment and then said, "Samantha, while I appreciate your concern, one thing does puzzle me."

"And what's that?"

"That you were willing to run away with me. You came in here and said 'we're leaving.' That is not lost on me. So I want you to know that, as one of my best friends, I would never desert you in a time of need, either."

Speechless, Samantha reached up and gave Data an awkward pat on the shoulder.

"Well," she said, "Honestly, you're the closest thing I have to home anymore."

Data did not quite know what she meant by that, but filed it away for later examination.

In the meantime, he said, "As for speaking in my defense, I believe you are a bit too…passionate about the subject. I believe being calm and reasonable is what is needed here."

Samantha smirked at that and said, "are you implying that I'm not calm and reasonable?"

Data opened his mouth to answer her, but they were interrupted by Commander Bruce Maddox letting himself into Data's quarters.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Samantha snapped.

The cyberneticist was brought up short when he saw them.

"I didn't realize there was anyone in here," he said, awkwardly.

"These are my quarters, sir," Data said, politely. "Did you not expect that I would be here?"

"I meant, I didn't know that anyone human was in here," Maddox corrected.

"That does it!" Samantha yelled, completely losing her temper. She rushed at Maddox, fists and hair flying. The Commander took a surprised stepped back but Samantha was stopped by Data's arm around her waist. It took no effort at all for him to hold her in place as she flailed.

"Let me punch him, Data!"

"I do not think that would be wise. I believe assaulting a Starfleet officer would get you sent to the brig, and I do not wish to see that."

Samantha deflated a bit and said, "but it would make ME feel better."

Maddox cleared his throat and said, "I came to try and talk some sense into Data. This trial is senseless. If it would only consent to…"

"HE does not have to consent to anything!" Samantha snapped again, struggling against Data. He did not remove his arm. He had never seen Samantha so upset and made a note to discuss it with her at a later time. If there was a later time, that is.

"In fact," Samantha went on, "by admitting that you need his consent, you allow that he has agency over himself. There is absolutely no reason for you to refer to him as 'it' and it just makes you look ignorant!"

Maddox stiffened at that and said, "We shall see."

Then he turned and called over his shoulder, "I'll leave the two of you to…whatever it was you were doing. I'll see you at the trial, Commander Data."

Only when Maddox was out of the room did Data release Samantha. All of the fight had gone out of her and she slumped into the nearest chair.

"You should have let me hit him," she mumbled.

"Samantha," Data said, very seriously. "I appreciate what you are trying to do. But I am a Starfleet officer, and you are not. I must be held to certain standards. Therefore, I cannot allow you to go around punching people you dislike, and I must submit to this trial and have faith that Captain Picard will defend me successfully."

Samantha sighed and said, "I certainly hope so."

**_After the trial…_**

Samantha sighed as she flopped back on the sofa in Counselor Troi's office. She had been having weekly sessions with the Counselor since arriving aboard the Enterprise, but she now felt more that she was confiding in a friend than a therapist.

"I hate him," Sam said with absolute certainty. "He's a terrible man and I'll never forgive what he tried to do."

"Samantha," Deanna said gently, "Forgiveness is very important. If you hold onto this grudge toward Commander Maddox, you will only be doing harm to yourself in the long run."

"I know," Sam agreed. "But I guess you could say I took it personally. The whole wanting to kill my best friend thing. I know you were all standing up for Data as much as you could, but I'm not in Starfleet. I could have done so much more. My hands weren't tied. In fact, my life is a clean slate. I'm not tied down by anything."

"Which brings me to a question I've been meaning to ask you," Deanna began, "Why do you say aboard the Enterprise? You could go anywhere. You could go back to Earth. And yet you stay here and wait tables. Why?"

Samantha was silent for a long time, and Deanna did not press her. Finally, Sam broke the silence with, "why not?"

"Why not what?" Deanna parroted back, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Why not stay here and wait tables? I'm not qualified to do much else in this time. Besides, all of my friends are here."

Deanna smiled. "You mean Data is here."

Samantha started at that, but tried to hide her reaction from the Betazoid. Which was, of course, a wasted effort.

After a long moment, Samantha finally conceded.

"Yeah," she admitted, very quietly. "Data is here."


	5. Interlude: Come With Me Now

**New Episode Interlude: Come With Me Now**

_This "episode" sets up The Offspring in a really unsubtle way, and also puts into motion something that will become important for Samantha's character later. Thank you for all of the kind comments so far! The next few chapters will be much longer because they're a lot heavier. Coming up we have The Offspring and In Theory, for example._

* * *

Samantha didn't notice when the holodeck arch appeared, but she found that she didn't really mind the intrusion.

She had been laying in a hammock strung up between two huge California red woods (trees that she had never actually seen in real life) and reading a short but classic piece of literature suggested to her by Captain Picard. She had actually felt silly for never having read it in her old life, but back then she had been much more concerned with things like clothes and dating and hanging out with her friends. When she wasn't working, anyway.

But here, while she chose to work in Ten Forward (mostly because she liked Guinan and had nothing better to do) she had an entire life of exploration and knowledge ahead of her.

She glanced up from the PADD in her hand (the Captain hadn't had a physical copy of this book) and smiled at her friend.

"Hi, Data," she said, swinging slightly in the hammock. "Do you like my program? I made it myself."

The android looked around, taking in the surroundings. Other than the expanse of red wood trees that looked to go on forever, Samantha had programmed distance snow-capped mountains and a nearby pond with crystal clear water and jovial koi fish swimming around.

"It is quite impressive for your first attempt," Data finally said. "May I ask why you included so many different Earth landscapes in one place?"

Samantha shrugged. "Because I could."

Data nodded and then swiftly changed the subject. "What are you reading today?"

Smiling, Samantha sat up in her hammock and motioned for Data to sit with her. After a bit of awkwardness, he had nestled in beside her.

"It's _Frankenstein,"_ she explained. "Captain Picard thought I might identify with it after…well, after what Bruce Maddox tried to do to you."

Data cocked his head to the side and asked, "In what way?"

"Well," Samantha continued, turning her face up to the artificial sunlight filtering through the green leaves all around them, "because the monster isn't a monster at all. He is intelligent and has deep, passionate feelings. But because of his appearance, basically because he's not human, his own creator shunned him and left him to fend for himself. Even people that he wanted desperately to be kind to sent him away because they were frightened by what they didn't understand. Viktor Frankenstein is a horrible man because he created life and then abandoned it. The monster had every right to exist, because he was created almost like a child. Would Frankenstein have left his biological child like that?"

"I have no answer to that query," Data said. "However, if I were to hypothesize, I imagine that he would not have done so."

"Exactly," Samantha said, finally looking down at the PADD in her lap. "It reminds me of you. Dr. Soong left you on that planet, right? He didn't try to take you with him. It's like…it's like you weren't important. He never would have left a biological child. And you've had to struggle so much just because of what you are. Captain Picard was right in suggesting this book to me. Because it begs the question: What makes a monster, and what makes a man?"

Data found himself rendered speechless by Samantha's concern for his own life. In fact, it reminded him of something he'd been meaning to ask her.

"Samantha," he began, "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, Data," she said with a smile. "You can ask me anything."

"You have spoken very little of your life back on Earth. I am curious as to why that is."

"That's easy," she said, looking up at her friend with big hazel eyes that looked more green because of the trees surrounding them. "Because it makes me too sad."

"Ah," was the best response that Data could come up with. "Still, your knowledge and experiences are truly unique, and I was wondering if we might try an experiment?"

Samantha propelled herself out of the hammock and turned to her friend, curious.

"What kind of experiment?"

"You obviously recall what happened with Dr. Ira Graves."

Samantha shuddered. "Of course, how could I not?"

"Well," Data continued, also leaving the hammock and walking to the holodeck archway with his friend, "I have considered continuing his research. Converting human neural pathways into code. Algorithms that can be saved indefinitely, never to lose the essence of that human. But rather than placing them into a positronic matrix, they would simply be saved in a specialized computer core of my own invention."

As they left the holodeck and slowly made their way back to Sam's quarters, she clutched the PADD tightly to her chest and asked, "And I can help with this…how?"

"I would like to use you in my experiment. Your knowledge is irreplaceable, and if you would consent to weekly sessions, I believe I can save your memories."

"Wow, Data," Samantha said, stopping in front of her quarters and looking up at her friend. "That's a lot to ask. I mean, would it save my own personal thoughts and feelings, as well? Like it did with Dr. Graves?"

"It may. I cannot confirm nor deny that outcome."

Heaving a sigh, Samantha let the doors to her quarters swish open and half stepped inside before turning to answer her friend.

"Fine. As long as you can assure me that I won't get brain damaged or something, I'm all yours." Then she smiled and said, "I'm putting a lot of trust in you, Data."

He gave her a small, lop-sided smile in return and said, "I assure you, your trust will not be misplaced."

With that, he gave her a slight nod and walked toward the nearest turbolift.

All of their earlier talk of creations and children and science had given him another idea.

He had a laboratory to reserve for the foreseeable future.


	6. The Offspring

**The Offspring**

"I wonder what all the secrecy is about?" Wesley Crusher wondered aloud as he walked with Geordi LaForge and Deanna Troi to one of the Enterprise's labs where Data and Sam were waiting for them.

"I have no idea, Wes," Geordi said. "I've never known Data to keep secrets, and Sam's been walking around looking like the cat that ate the canary."

Deanna smiled at the metaphor. "Yes, I've even tried asking her about it, but she said she's sworn to secrecy. But honestly, I think it's good for her. Data has made her feel like she belongs somewhere, and like she's part of something. That's so important, given her situation."

Geordi and Wesley both nodded in agreement as the three stopped in front of the laboratory door.

The doors quickly opened and they found Data looking a bit surprised.

"You are early," he said, "please wait for just one more moment."

With that, the doors closed again. The three officers looked at each other and Geordi shrugged.

When the doors opened again, Data motioned them inside and they finally saw Samantha standing opposite Data, smiling broadly and practically bouncing with excitement.

"What's going on here?" Geordi asked.

"Allow me to show you," Data said, then pressed some buttons on a console, causing a lift to lower down from the ceiling.

On the lift stood a small creature with no discernible features.

"I would like for you to meet Lal," Data continued, motioning to the creature.

Sam finally spoke, addressing the being on the lift, "Lal, please say hello to Counselor Deanna Troi."

"Hello, Counselor Deanna Troi," Lal repeated, politely.

"Hello, Lal," Deanna replied with a smile. "How are you?"

"I am functioning within normal parameters," Lal answered.

"Lal," Data now addressed the being again, "this is Commander Geordia LaForge." With that, he motioned to Geordi.

"Hello, Commander Geordi LaForge," said Lal, but then looked at Data and asked, "Father, reason for external coverings?"

"That is called clothing, Lal…" Data began, but was cut off by Geordi.

"Data…it just called you father?" it was definitely more of a question than a statement.

"Yes," Data confirmed, as it were obvious. "Lal is my child."

* * *

Deanna walked along with Data, Sam, and Lal toward the holodeck. The Counselor smiled at the new android stating gender types as people walked by. Her smile only grew when she saw Sam take Lal's hand, and softly explained that she enjoyed holding hands with the people she cared about.

"Now, you are going to have to pick a gender, Lal," Data explained. "This is an important decision that will affect how people interact with you for the rest of your life."

"I would like to be female," Lal suddenly exclaimed. "Like Counselor Deanna Troi, and like mother."

Sam couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face at the title. She had been present during all of Lal's creation, after all. And had even inspired it, according to Data.

"Actually, Lal, you don't really HAVE to choose a gender," Sam began, "some people go their whole lives without a gender identity and are perfectly happy with themselves and their lives."

"Samantha," Data chided, "I believe that is a bit complicated for Lal at this time. Though I appreciate your progressive outlook, as always."

Sam shrugged and said, "Just thought I'd give it a try. I don't want Lal to feel forced into anything, even this."

"It is all right, mother," Lal said, very formally, "I am gender neuter, and that is insufficient from what I have observed. I would like to choose a gender."

They arrived at the holodeck and Deanna asked, "how do you plan to go about this?"

"I have programmed thousands of possible species and genders thereof, and an overall appearance. Lal will go through all of them and choose."

"Thousands?!" Deanna repeated, suddenly daunted.

"Yep!" Sam chirped, happily stepping into the holodeck. "Let's get started!"

* * *

Hours passed, Deanna fell asleep, but finally Lal had chosen her identity. A lovely young female human around Samantha's height (much to Sam's delight) who would soon meet with the Captain.

Data had told Samantha of the Captain's disapproval. That they had "snuck around" on his ship to create Lal. Data had simply pointed out that no other crew member required the Captain's permission to procreate. Sam was relieved to hear that that statement had worked, since she was ready to fight for Data and Lal in an instant. Data, on the other hand, seemed intent on keeping Sam out of trouble with Starfleet.

But then Data did explain that Lal's existence would have to be reported to Starfleet, or Captain Picard would be remiss in his duties.

That gave Sam pause.

After dropping Lal off for her first day of school, Samantha finally voiced her concerns to Data.

"I'm worried," she said. "I don't like the idea of Starfleet getting involved in this. It's like…it's like butting in on our personal lives. That is, in your personal life. Again. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of what Bruce Maddox tried to do to you. What if they want to disassemble Lal?"

Data dropped Samantha off at her quarters and regarded her very seriously. "You have every right to be concerned. I know that you view Starfleet as a whole in a negative light. But this time should be different. I am Lal's guardian, even if the term 'father' is lost on them. Taking her would be akin to kidnapping."

Sam frowned. "And you really think they're above that? Data, they tried to call you property and take you apart against your will. I'm sorry, but I can't just let that go."

Data awkwardly patted Sam on the shoulder and said, "do not worry. Everything will be fine. You will see."

With that, he left for his shift on the bridge, and Samantha was left to worry.

* * *

"Father," Lal said, after her very brief stint in school. "May I go work with mother? I would like to observe humans."

"Of course, Lal," Data said, "in fact, I think that is a very good idea. Ten Forward is the perfect place to observe human socialization."

The two androids entered the bar, and Guinan immediately wandered over to them and smiled. "This must be Lal," she said. "I've already heard so much about you. Samantha won't stop talking about you."

Lal looked over and saw Samantha clearing a table. When Sam noticed her, a huge smile lit her face and she waved enthusiastically.

Lal lifted her arm and attempted to mimic the wave. It wasn't a complete disaster.

"Guinan, Lal was wondering if perhaps she could work here? Samantha could keep an eye on her, and I believe there is much to be learned."

"Yes," Lal agreed, "and father said I could learn a lot from someone as old as you."

Guinan gave a terse smile and said, "Yes, absolutely. I think this is the perfect place for you. Come on, Lal, let's get you set up."

As the two walked away, Data received a communication from Captain Picard. He left his daughter in the care of Samantha and Guinan, and left to speak to his commanding officer.

* * *

Admiral Haftel was stern and as tepid as a glass of day-old water. He had every intention of citing rules and regulations and his own special brand of logic to remove Lal from the Enterprise.

As Data led his Captain and the Admiral to Ten Forward to observe Lal, Data realized that Samantha had been right to worry.

They entered, and were almost immediately surrounded by both Guinan and Samantha.

"You must be the Admiral," Samantha said, as politely as she could. "As you can see, we have everything under control here."

Admiral Haftel looked around the room and finally spotted Lal clearing drinks from a table, and she closely observed the couple that she was serving.

"She is capable of so much," Haftel said, almost to himself, "and you have her working as a cocktail waitress._"_

"Now, Admiral," Guinan chided, "surely you've been in a bar or two in your day."

The Admiral glared at the El-Aurian and snapped, "I want her out of here. _Now._"

Samantha made a move toward the Admiral, but was stopped by Guinan's gentle hand on her arm.

Sam looked up at her friend, surprised, but the much older woman simply shook her head. Her message was clear. _This isn't your fight._

Sam frowned as the Admiral stormed out, followed by Captain Picard and Data.

Things were spiraling out of her control, and Sam hated not feeling in control.

* * *

Lal was to meet with the Captain and the Admiral, just as she was beginning to enter into sentience. This meeting couldn't have come at a worse time.

"Now, Lal," Samantha said, holding back tears as she absently rubbed her daughter's shoulders (because she could only think of Lal as her child at this point) and smoothing invisible wrinkles out of her dress, "be polite but honest with the Admiral. He's going to talk to you about some options for your future. But remember, it's your choice in the end. Understand?"

Lal cocked her head to the side, just like her father, and said, "Yes, mother, I understand. I will be honest. I will consider what the Admiral says, and then I will decide."

"That's my girl," Sam said, and the tears she had been holding back finally began rolling down her cheeks.

Data walked up behind Samantha, and wrapped his hands around her upper arms, as if he thought she were about to collapse.

"Go no, Lal," he said to his daughter. "You do not want to be late."

Lal nodded at him, gave Samantha a somewhat confused look, and then left for her meeting.

After she was gone, Sam spun and pressed her face into Data's chest, finally letting herself cry.

Data just held her, unable to do anything else. Samantha had been right so far, and she was now more convinced than ever that they would not be allowed to keep Lal on the Enterprise.

"It's not fair," Sam mumbled into her friend's chest. "All you wanted to do was have a child. To not be alone. If you were human, this wouldn't even be an issue. No one would be arguing that a starship is too dangerous for her, because there are hundreds of other kids on the ship! This is discrimination."

"You are not wrong," Data said, and Sam finally pulled away and sniffled, her eyes red-rimmed.

Suddenly, Captain Picard's voice came over the comm system and Data was ordered to the observation lounge.

Sam watched him go with a sinking feeling.

* * *

"Cascade failure," Deanna explained, but Sam barely heard her.

All she knew was that Lal was back in the lab, and Data and Haftel were trying to save her life.

Sam stood outside with Deanna, Geordi, and Wesley. Though she had been there for Lal's creation, Sam knew she would just be in the way now. She didn't have the knowledge, and the fact that she couldn't help Lal in her time of need weighed heavily on her.

As Deanna told it, Lal had suddenly appeared at her quarters and said that she was frightened of being taken away. Deanna could sense that it was true…the young android really was frightened. She then followed Lal back to the laboratory where she had been created.

"A fail safe," Sam had explained, numbly. "In case anything catastrophic happened to her systems. She would make her way back to the lab."

It was hours before Admiral Haftel exited the lab. He at least had the decency to look sorrowful.

"She won't live much longer," he explained. "Her neural pathways were collapsing too quickly. His hands were moving so fast, trying to keep ahead of the damage. But it was too much. Just as one pathway was repaired, another collapsed….I'm sorry."

With that, he walked away, head hung low.

Samantha let out a sob, a hand flying to her mouth. Her friends surrounded her, but she broke away with a mumbled apology and ran to her quarters.

* * *

It had to have been hours before Samantha heard her door chime.

"Go away," she yelled as much as her raw throat would allow.

"Samantha," she heard Data's voice on the other side, "It is I, Data."

She sighed. She wanted to be left alone, but he was her weakness. "Fine, come in."

The doors opened and Data took a tentative step inside. The room was pitch black, only lit by a few candles that looked to have been placed haphazardly.

"Samantha," he said again. "I am sorry."

Sam looked up at him, then. "What are you sorry for? Admiral Haftel said you did your best."

"I am sorry that Lal's absence is affecting you so much. She enriched my life, as well. But there is something you must know."

Sam sniffed and dared a small smile at her friend. "And what's that?"

"I have downloaded all of Lal's memories and experiences into my own positronic net. Her existence will never be forgotten, because she lives on through me."

The change in Samantha's demeanor was instantaneous. For many years to come, Data would not be able to explain what happened next.

"Just go away, Data!" Sam snapped, turning away. "I can't…I can't talk to you right now. Please, just go."

Stunned, Data did as she asked.

* * *

"Why were you angry with Data?" Deanna asked two days later, as Sam lounged on the couch in the counselor's office.

"I'm not sure I even know," Sam said. "I felt almost betrayed, because I felt like I lost my child that day, too, and he had the gall to think downloading her memories was the answer. It's not the same at all, because she'll never be able to make any new memories. She's gone."

"But you know Data doesn't see it that way," Deanna said, gently.

"I know," Sam sighed, "and I know I need to talk to him. I'm just…I'm still raw. I watched her go from a bundle of parts on a table to a living, sentient being. She died, Deanna. She's dead."

Deanna leaned forward in her chair and addressed Sam very seriously.

"I am telling you this as a friend, and not as ship's counselor. Go talk to Data. This silent treatment changes nothing."

"Fine," Sam said, standing. "You're right."

* * *

When Data's door chimed, he called out, "enter" before even noting the late hour.

He had been working on a painting, and did not turn around to greet his guest until he heard her gasp.

Spinning on his stool, he turned around and saw Samantha staring at his painting, her mouth slightly open.

"Samantha," he said, standing quickly. "I was not expecting you. I can remove the painting if it upsets you."

Samantha held up a hand. "No, please. It's beautiful, Data. It'll be stunning when it's finished."

Data gave her a tentative smile, and Samantha stepped a bit closer.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting. I haven't been fair to you. You lost someone that day, same as I did. It's just…she'll always be with you in such an intimate way, but all I'll have are my stupid human memories. And of course, nothing changes the fact that she's gone. I just…miss her, you know? This ship is the only home I have, and you're my best friend, and she was like my child, too. For the first time in forever, I felt like maybe I had…" here she paused, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks, "…a family."

"The thought had crossed my mind, as well," Data said, surprising Sam. "I still wish to procreate. To have a family, as you said. But I know now that it will not be until I can create a stable positronic matrix."

"And this," he went on, gesturing to the painting, "is for you. I wanted you to have a piece of her, as well."

Tears sprung to Sam's eyes at that, and she finally closed the distance between them and took her friend's hand. Together, they turned and gazed upon the painting in progress.

It was a perfect portrait of Lal.


	7. Interlude Two: Spaceman

**New Episode Interlude Two: Spaceman**

Sam wasn't known for her grace under fire.

She wasn't known for much, actually, since she could count her close friends aboard the Enterprise on one hand. She knew _of _people because everyone came through Ten Forward at some point. And people knew _of _her because she served them almost daily, and also because her origins were interesting enough to gossip about.

So she was caught completely off guard when an Ensign by the name of Murdock asked her on a date.

"Excuse me?" she said, blinking at him over the bar.

"Well, I only ever see you working, so I thought maybe you'd like to get out for a bit and do something with me. I have a great holodeck program I could show you tomorrow night."

Samantha knew she was staring at him, and she knew she should probably say something, but the words wouldn't come.

"She'd love to," Guinan said, appearing behind her like some sort of completely unwanted spirit guide.

Sam shot a glare at her.

Ensign Murdock looked back and forth between the two women. Sam finally cleared her throat and said, "Yes, um, that sounds nice. Thank you for asking."

Murdock's face lit up like the Fourth of July as he jumped off his bar stool.

"Great!" he said. "I'll swing by your quarters around 1800 hours tomorrow and pick you up."

Sam had to quickly do the math in her head to figure out that that was 6:00pm. She still wasn't quite used to that yet.

"That sounds fine," she said with a nod. "See you then."

Murdock gave one last wave and practically skipped out of the bar.

Sam immediately turned on Guinan and said in a dangerously low voice, "Why on Earth, or any world, would you think that was okay?"

Guinan just gave her the same languid smile she gave everyone and said, "Because he's right. You do need to get out. Meet people, make friends. It won't kill you to go to the holodeck with a nice young man who looks at you like you hung the moon."

"Except for the fact I know nothing about him! He could be a serial killer!"

Guinan laughed and said, "Samantha, darling, I love you dearly, but you can't use the same excuses you used back in your time and get away with it. Not here, and not with me. No one on this ship is a serial killer. It's about time you stopped keeping everyone at arm's length and embraced that this is your home now."

Sam gaped at her. "I know that this is my home now! I chose to make this my home! I don't see how you could possibly say…"

"Because," Guinan interrupted. "There is that small part of you that thinks you're going to be ripped away again. You can't lie to me. I know that fear, because I've lived it. The only person on this entire ship who even knows a thing about you is probably Data, and I'm not even sure if that's true. Let go of the fear, Samantha. You're safe now, I promise."

Sam stared at her friend, unable to come up with any kind of response.

"Fine," she finally said, which was much more succinct and not nearly as intelligent as what she wanted to say.

Still smiling, Guinan seemed to float away, leaving Sam alone with her thoughts.

"Oh God," Same mumbled to herself. "I have a date tomorrow."

* * *

Ensign Murdock was incredibly punctual.

At 1800 on the dot, Sam's door chimed. She met him there, immediately stepping out into the hallway and hardly allowing him so much as a glance into her quarters.

He offered his arm like a gentleman, and Sam resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She took the proffered arm and hoped she wasn't sweating too much through her canary yellow silk dress.

"So," Sam said, uncomfortable with the silence as they walked, "may I ask your first name? I'm afraid I only know you as Ensign Murdock."

Murdock laughed at that and said, "Peter. Peter W. Murdock."

Sam dared to crack a smile and said, "Really? With the middle initial and everything?"

Peter laughed and said, "Well, you asked. I'm an open book."

"So what's the W stand for?"

"Wyatt," he said as they arrived at Holodeck 4.

Sam watched as Peter typed something into the control pad on the wall next to the holodeck, rather than using voice recognition.

"Enter when ready," came the polite female computer voice.

They entered together and Sam was greeted by a view of a beautiful waterfall at nighttime, with a huge full moon in the sky.

Peter motioned for her to sit with him on the shore, where a picnic was laid out.

"A nighttime picnic, huh?" Sam asked, taking in the breathtaking sight.

"I thought it would be…you know…romantic," Peter said, somewhat shyly.

Sam plopped down, lacking all femininity or grace, and spread out on the provided blanket.

"So, Peter," she said as she took over and began laying out their meal. This was something she knew how to do, after all. "What is it you do on the Enterprise?"

"Oh," he said, "I work down in engineering. That's actually where I first saw you. I don't think you noticed me at all, but you were helping Commander Data with something."

"Was I?" she asked, absentmindedly chewing on a dinner roll.

"Yeah," Peter went on, "I think it was some personal experiment of his. If you ask me, they shouldn't allow an android to be so high ranking. He has access to a ton of really sensitive information."

Back in Samantha's time, the sound of tires screeching to a sudden stop was common.

Later, she would reflect that if her train of thought could have made a sound in that moment, it would have been screeching tires. Maybe with some smoke and a trail of rubber for good measure.

"Excuse me?" Sam said, hoping she had just misheard. She put down her dinner roll and smoothed out her dress to keep her hands occupied.

"Don't get me wrong," Peter continued, "I like him well enough. As much as you can like someone who doesn't have emotions. But I don't think it's safe to have him as second officer, and with access to so many vital systems. I mean, he doesn't even need life support to survive. Think about that."

Samantha's hands clenched at her skirts as she answered, "It seems to me that having someone like Data around is a good thing. If the rest of the crew was incapacitated, or if life support went down and people started to lose consciousness, he would be our last hope."

Peter must have seen something in her expression that he didn't like, because he quickly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. Of course I should have realized he's your friend, since you were down there helping him that one day."

Samantha stood and quickly turned away from her date. "Thank you for the nice holodeck program, Peter, but I really have to be going."

Peter stood, too, and blocked her path. "But we just got here! Come on, please don't be mad. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Then why did you say it?" Sam snapped at him. "First of all, like it or not, you did just insult my best friend. I mean, how thick could you be? Why else would I be helping him with an experiment in engineering? And secondly, you're insulting a senior officer behind his back! That says a lot more about you than your middle initial does, buddy."

With that, Sam attempted to push past Peter, but he stopped her by putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't touch me!" Sam ordered, trying not to sound intimidated. But the truth was, as she tried to tell Guinan, she didn't know much about this man and he was much bigger and stronger than she was.

Fortunately, her instincts were from a long dead era, and Peter immediately let go and took a step back.

"I'm really sorry," he said, and Sam nearly took pity on him. But she had to follow her heart and stick to her guns.

She had known that this date was a bad idea, for a lot of reasons. It was just ironic that one of those reasons was their current topic of conversation.

Sam sighed and said, "Look, you seem like a nice guy, prejudices notwithstanding. But in all honesty, I really shouldn't have come out tonight, anyway. My heart wasn't in it. You have every right to your beliefs, but it's clear that they don't match up with mine. Also, I'm really not looking for a relationship or anything right now, and I get the feeling that you are."

Peter looked down, but did not deny anything.

This time, Sam reached out and gently patted Peter on a shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. This is a beautiful program, and you really do have a knack for the romantic…but I'm sure you can find someone who appreciates it a lot more than I do. You deserve that."

Peter finally looked up at her again and gave her a sardonic smile. "I guess it's better that I put my foot in my mouth now instead of later, anyway."

Sam finally did roll her eyes at him and gave him a nudge. "Come on," she said. "Let's get out of here."

Peter did insist on walking her back to her quarters, which was fine now that all of the awkwardness was out of the way.

As Sam started to say goodnight, Peter broke in with, "I hope that we can at least be friends."

This exclamation startled Sam at first, but then she finally smiled and said, "Sure, why not? Apparently I need to make more friends."

With that, she gave him a final nod and stepped into her quarters where she immediately rid herself of her sweaty, godawful dress and put on a cotton nightgown before climbing into bed with a book.

Guinan would probably have something to say about her very short-lived and unsuccessful date, but Sam knew the El-Aurian would understand once she explained what happened.

* * *

It was much later in the evening, around 10, when her door chimed. Not even getting out of bed, she called out, "Come on in, Data!"

The doors swished open and her friend entered, though he stopped abruptly when he saw she was in bed.

"I am interrupting you. I will come back at another time…"

"No, please," Sam stopped him, finally getting up and moving to the couch. "I was waiting for you, actually. Just feeling lazy tonight."

Data cocked his head and followed her to the couch, where he say down next to her and asked what she knew he was going to ask.

"How was your date with Ensign Murdock?"

Sam laughed. She couldn't help it.

"It was pretty terrible," she admitted. "It ended in less than an hour. I think that must be some sort of new record."

Her friend frowned a bit and then asked the expected follow-up. "What happened? He was not disrespectful to you, was he? If so, Geordi must be informed that an officer under his supervision is lacking in character."

Sam laughed again, trying to smother it with her hand. "No, Data, he wasn't particularly disrespectful to me. Let's just say we had a disagreement very early on, and I chose to end things."

Data nodded and said, "Ah."

After a brief moment of companionable silence, Data said, "I must admit, I believe I am relieved that things did not work out between you and Ensign Murdock."

Sam's eyes widened at that, since Data rarely spoke ill of anyone. "Why's that?" she asked.

"I do not find him to be a very competent officer," Data said, simply.

"You're exactly right," Sam agreed. "He's not very competent at all."

After another thirty minutes, Data excused himself and ended their visit.

Sam watched him go and smiled to herself.

"Let people talk," she whispered to herself as she went back to bed, "I already have all the friends I need."


	8. The Most Toys

**The Most Toys**

Deanna Troi found her in Ten Forward, laughing with some new crew members who had just transferred over from Starbase 397.

"Samantha," the Betazoid said, quietly but somewhat sternly. "Can you come with me, please?"

Samantha looked up at her friend, and her smile immediately vanished.

"Deanna? What's wrong…?"

"Please," Deanna interrupted. "Not here."

Samantha silently followed the Counselor out of the room, and noticed that they were headed for her office.

"Deanna, you're really freaking me out," Sam complained.

Deanna didn't acknowledge her until they were safely inside the Counselor's office.

"Sam, please sit down," Deanna gently ordered, motioning to the couch.

Samantha gave her friend a very guarded look, but did as she was told.

Deanna took the seat across from her, and Sam could not help the shiver that ran up her spine. After all, she had been in this situation before. In the past, her very far-flung past, there had been too many times when someone had told her to sit down before delivering devastating news.

_"Are you sitting down?" _her father had asked on the phone the night her Uncle had suddenly died.

_"You should sit down,"_ her mother had directed, also over the phone, the night her cousin had been killed in a work accident.

_"You need to come home. Now,"_ both of her parents had ordered the day her best friend had finally succumbed to cancer. That time, they would not tell her over the phone. That time, it would have been too obscene.

Yes, Sam was more than familiar with this dance.

"Whatever it is, Deanna, just spit it out," Sam snapped, already on edge.

"There's been an accident," Deanna began, her eyes glassy. "Data was piloting a shuttle that exploded. He's gone."

Sam stared at the Counselor. She did not move. She did not cry out.

"Samantha," Deanna prodded, gently, "please say something."

Standing so quickly that Deanna actually flinched, the only thing that Samantha said was, "I have to go."

She left the office and Deanna did not follow.

* * *

"Sam?" Wesley Crusher's voice called through her locked door, "I know you're in there. We're all worried about you."

Without warning, the doors opened and arms reached out, quickly pulling the teenager into the room. Then the doors snapped shut and locked again.

"Sam," Wesley said again, taking in his friend's disheveled appearance. "No one has seen you in days. Guinan says you cancelled ever shift in Ten Forward for the foreseeable future. We're all hurting, but you can't just…stop living."

"I've done no such thing," Sam told him, going back to what she was doing.

It was then that Wesley noticed how sparse her quarters were, and the bags littering her bed.

"Wait, you're leaving?" he asked, his face scrunching up in the way it did when he was trying to figure out the answer to a particularly hard problem.

"Yep," Sam confirmed. "I figure there's a whole galaxy out there for me to explore. So while you and Geordi have been going through Data's things and giving them away…and yes, I know about that…I've been making plans."

"Where will you go?" Wesley asked, sadly.

Sam looked up at him and smiled, though it would have looked forced to anyone who knew her well. "I'm hitching a ride on a freighter at the next Starbase. The crew consists of all different species, like the Enterprise, but the Captain is human. They seem to be a legitimate business, nothing too sketchy. I'm going to assist the Captain with everyday tasks to pay my way. Make sure he has his messages, make reports regarding the crew, make sure he remembers to eat and sleep…that sort of thing."

Wesley gave her the kind of disbelieving look that only a teenager could muster and said, "You can't be serious. It sounds like indentured servitude. All of your friends are here!"

Sam turned and continued packing. "I just figured it was time to go make some new friends."

Wesley turned, a bit angrily, and bit back, "you can do whatever you want, but it seems to me like you're just running away," It was then that he noticed the painting of Lal hanging on the wall near the door and added, "you think you're alone now, but you're not. We're all here for you."

"Everything reminds me of him, Wesley!" Samantha finally snapped, losing her composure. She threw the dress she had been folding down on the bed and continued, "I can't go to Ten Forward without remembering all of the conversations we had there. I can't go to the arboretum without remembering the first time he took me there, and explained every single genus of alien plant-life to me for _hours._ I can't even go to the holodeck, because he helped me build every one of my programs to some extent. And the one program I made on my own…well, we had a conversation there that resulted in Lal. So I can definitely never go back there again."

"But why not?" Wesley demanded. "What's so wrong with remembering? Have you talked to Counselor Troi about any of this?"

Samantha surprised Wesley by laughing. It was a laugh devoid of all humor, but a laugh nonetheless.

"I love Deanna, I really do…but I don't put much stake in her psychology. Wes, I've lost people before. Back in my own time. More people than you would believe, probably. And my way of dealing with it is not dealing with it. I have no other choice. See, this is the problem with caring about people. One moment they're in your life, and you find yourself depending on them…that is, they're a fixture in your life…and the next moment, they're gone. If I stay here, then I'll dwell on that. And if I dwell on that…I won't want to be alive for much longer."

Wesley gasped, "you can't mean that!"

Sam gave him a soft, sad smile and said, "I do."

"Fine," Wesley said, turning his back to her, "but I think you're wrong."

With that, he stormed out of her quarters.

* * *

Geordi didn't even bother buzzing her door. Not after what Wesley had told him.

"Sam," he said, letting himself into her quarters. "We need to talk."

"Nice of you to knock," she said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes at him. She had been curled up on her sofa, under her small window, re-reading a book that Data had given her. It was called _Jane Eyre _and it was about a lost girl with no family who fell in love with someone she probably shouldn't have. Samantha liked it quite a lot.

And, like Jane, Samantha was quite adept at running away.

"You have to listen to me," Geordi continued, undeterred. "I think…I think there's a possibility that Data's still alive."

Sam out the book aside and considered Geordi for a moment before saying, "I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."

"I'm serious," the engineer said, "there was something off about his procedural logs. And that hitridium we got from Kivas Fajo appears to be man made."

That gave Sam pause. "Man made?" she repeated. "Didn't you tell me before that it was hard to fake that stuff, and that's why you had a hard time getting it? Because you needed to find someone trading the natural kind, but it was really dangerous?"

Geordi nodded. "Yep. The cost of creating hitridium would be astronomical. And we're lucky we were able to find anyone carrying the stuff at all…"

Sam stood up so fast that Geordi actually jumped back.

"So maybe it's a little too convenient that this Fajo guy had it right when we needed it most?"

"Yep. So we looked into the guy's background. He's a collector of rare and valuable items and artifacts."

"Geordi," Sam said, trying so hard to stamp down the bit of hope that was swelling in her chest, but unable to stop it, "If this guy was wealthy enough to create hitridium, just to trade it to us, knowing that the Captain would probably send Data to get it because it's dangerous stuff…"

"…Then he probably also has the resources to fake Data's death," Geordi finished. "So, your rendezvous with that freighter is official postponed because we're going back to find Kivas Fajo and get to the bottom of this."

Sam surprised Geordi by walking over and giving him a warm hug.

"Thank you," she said. "For not giving up."

Geordi smiled at that. "Haven't you learned by now? That's what being on the Enterprise is all about. We never give up."

* * *

Sam nearly trampled several people on her way to the transporter room.

He was back. He was alive.

The doors were opening just as she arrived. Data stood before her, dressed ridiculously but in one piece.

Samantha said nothing as she threw her arms around her friend, and she certainly didn't give a damn that Will Riker was watching them and grinning.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Sam whispered just loud enough for Data to hear.

"As am I," he said, gently pulling Sam off of him, "I am sorry if my absence caused you distress."

"Data, you are so thick! You absence caused all of us distress! We through you were dead!"

"Ah, yes, that," he said, "there is much to explain, but first I would like to change and make my official report."

"Of course," Sam said, smiling softly, "come see me when you're done?"

"I will," Data assured her, then headed off to his quarters.

* * *

"So, you're the slimy little toad who thought you could kidnap Data?" Sam said with a sneer as she gazed upon the sole inhabitant of the Enterprise's brig.

"You're a very rude young woman," the man, Kivas Fajo, said through the forcefield. "I thought Starfleet officers were polite to a fault. Or maybe that's just Data."

"Ah," Sam said, stepping as close to the forcefield as she dared, "you misunderstand. I'm not a Starfleet officer. I'm just a girl who doesn't appreciate what you did to my friend. And believe me, you're going to pay for it."

"Please," Fajo scoffed. "I'll be out of here in no time."

"Don't count on it," Sam said, her eyes narrowing almost to slits and her voice lowering dangerously, "but even if somehow you're right, you've made an enemy of me…and where I'm from, we don't forgive and we don't forget. I'm from a place where violence is commonplace, and you can destroy someone's life with the right words to the right people, or just with a well-placed bullet. So listen well, Kivas Fajo. If I ever so much as see your sniveling face again, I'm going to smash it to a bloody pulp. I'm going to stab out your eye with a dull blade, but only one eye, so that you have to watch me do it with the other. And then I'm going to kill you…slowly, painfully, I'll enjoy it…and then I'm going to chop you up into little pieces and scatter you across the galaxy."

By the time her speech was done, Kivas Fajo was staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the petite girl in front of him. No one had ever dared threaten him in such a way.

Then, with an almost comical suddenness, Samantha's demeanor changed. She straightened up, smiled widely at Fajo, and said, "bye!" with a wave as she let herself out.

The trader was left alone and aghast at what had just happened.

* * *

**_One Week Later…_**

"Are you comfortable?" Data asked, as he always did during their synapsis scanning sessions.

"I'm fine, Data," Sam told him, as she always did.

As they worked in his quarters in companionable silence, Data finally said, "there are cameras in the brig to monitor prisoners."

Samantha wasn't sure where he was going with this, so she just said, "Oh? I guess that's good. But I wasn't aware we had any prisoners on board."

"There are none at this time," Data confirmed. "The last person to be incarcerated was Kivas Fajo."

"Ah," Sam said, "and you bring this up because…?"

"It is not very becoming of a member of the crew, Starfleet or not, to threaten another being's life in such graphic detail."

Samantha stiffened in her seat. "You saw that, did you?"

"I did," Data confirmed. "It was after I went to speak with Fajo, myself. Fortunately, I was able to acquire that particular recording and do away with it before anyone else became aware."

Samantha tried to turn around and look at her friend, but the cable attached to her cerebral cortex made the feat impossible.

"You mean to tell me," she finally said, "that you got rid of an official Starfleet record…to protect me?"

"Yes," Data said, "Now, please hold still."

With that, he detached the cable and began cleaning up his instruments.

"Why?" Samantha asked, now that she was able to turn around and look at him.

"Because you have stood up for me, protected me, on numerous occasions. You have fought for me at times when it would have been much easier for you to simply walk away. I do not know what I did to deserve such kindness, and such devoted friendship…so I did the one small thing I could do in that moment to ensure your safety and freedom aboard the ship."

"Oh, Data," Sam said, closing the distance between them and hugging her friend. "Thank you so much. I know it's not easy for you to break regulations, even in a minor way. I won't forget it."

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes as she continued, "But know this…everything I said to that man is true. I know he's already paying for his crimes, but not nearly enough for his crimes against you…in my opinion. So if I ever do see him again, I won't hold back. I've gotten pretty good in some of Worf's fighting classes, you know."

"If that time ever comes," Data said, "I may just happen to look the other way."

Sam grinned and grabbed her friend's hand. "Come on," she said, "enough of this depressing stuff. Let's go to Ten Forward for hot fudge sundaes!"

And with that, she dragged him out the door.


	9. Data's Day

**Data's Day**

Data was unusually silent at dinner, and Sam had finally had enough.

"Data," she said over a much-needed (in her opinion) glass of real wine, gifted to her from Captain Picard's personal stash, "what in the world has you so preoccupied?"

Her friend's eyebrows knit together as he answered. "Human romantic relationships are incredibly difficult to understand."

Sam laughed at that. "Yes, they are," she agreed. "Even for humans."

Data nodded and looked at her very seriously. "I am curious as to why Keiko decided to call off the wedding, and then was extremely unhappy about it? And then Chief O'Brien was angry, which I suppose is more understandable, but then Keiko changed her mind and the wedding is back on for tomorrow?"

"Well, Data, I can't pretend to know what Keiko was thinking. But she was probably just nervous. Marriage is a big step, as I'm sure you know. Most people only want to do it once, if possible. No one wants to have a marriage fail. So that's probably all it was. It doesn't mean she ever stopped loving Miles."

"Ah," Data said, nodding. "I am sure you are right. You are quite perceptive."

Sam took a sip of wine and then said, "Thanks, Data! There are far more perceptive people on board, like Deanna and Guinan, but I'm happy you think so."

"If you are finished, I will clean up tonight," Data said, standing and collecting their dishes. Sam smiled up at him in thanks and took another sip.

After he finished, he looked at his friend curiously and said, "If I may say…you seem a bit preoccupied yourself."

Sam stood up and moved over to the couch, where she lounged before answering. "I'm thinking about the wedding, too. Just vain human stuff. Wondering what I should wear and that sort of thing. I also still need to get them a gift."

Data sat down next to her and said, "There are many opinions for formal dress programmed into the replicators, as well as suitable gifts."

Sam nodded, "I'll have to look in the morning. I'm tired tonight."

"You have been tired quite a lot lately. Perhaps you should go speak to Dr. Crusher?"

"Maybe I will," Sam agreed.

"I will also do a diagnostic of the synapsis scanning equipment. I would not be pleased if your fatigue was due to our experiment."

Data then rose and said, "I will leave you to rest. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Sam called after him, but her friend stopped short and turned back around.

"One final thing. Upon learning that I would have to dance at the wedding, I received lessons from Dr. Crusher. I was then reminded by Geordi that human custom dictates I arrive with a date. It is not required, but I was wondering if perhaps you would like to attend with me?"

Sam's face lit up like Christmas. "Yes! Of course! I would love to go with you!"

"Then I will see you tomorrow. Please go see the doctor as soon as you are able."

With that, he left. Sam chugged the rest of her wine and started getting ready for bed. She really had been tired for several weeks…as she got into bed, she decided that she would go see Dr. Crusher sometime after the wedding.

* * *

Sam had chosen a strapless dress that was black at the top, silk with a chiffon overlay, and then a gold sash that flowed into a gold brocade skirt. It was a suitable match for Data's gold dress uniform, and the brocade of dragon print was her homage to her friend Keiko's Japanese heritage.

A wedding was a nice, normal occasion that Sam hadn't realized she was desperately missing. She admired how Data looked as he danced with the bride. He had done an excellent job in a situation that was so new to him.

After the "Father-Daughter Dance," a slow violin piece began to play.

Data surprised Sam when he walked up to her with an outstretched hand. "Would you care to dance?"

"I'd love to," she said, taking his hand.

Data started their dance very formally, but Sam decided that there was no time like the present and stepped closer to him. She wrapped both arms around his neck, and Data lowered his hands to her waist.

As they swayed, Sam gazed up at him. His eyes always captivated her. She loved their color. It was strange, during the times when she actually let herself stop and think about it, how she could be so attached to someone so completely different from anyone that existed in her own time. Data always said he had no emotions, and he saw it as a deficit, but he had a way of easily bringing out very strong emotions in others. He had so many people who cared for him…and none more than her, she was sure.

Maybe someday, she would let him know.

"Samantha, are you alright?" Data asked, noticing her glassy eyed stare.

"Sure, Data. Never been better," she said with a smile. "I was just thinking."

"About?" he asked as they continued to sway.

"You," she said.

"What about m…" he began, but was interrupted when Samantha's eyes rolled back in her head and she suddenly collapsed in his arms.

"Medical emergency!" he yelled, gently laying her down on the ground of Ten Forward. Many people had already left the wedding and gone back to duty, but the small group that remained gathered around, concerned.

Dr. Crusher rushed over, tricorder out. "What happened?" she asked, addressing Data.

"I do not know. We were dancing and she seemed fine. It happened very suddenly. She has been feeling overly tired for about two weeks now, and I advised her to go to Sick Bay very soon."

"Well, she hadn't come yet," Beverly said, sounding a bit aggravated. "I wish I had known. She is in the late stages of Andronesian encephalitis. It's fairly common and not lethal, but when left untreated it can cause seizures and be very unpleasant." She quickly administered a hyprospray, and Sam's eyes began to flutter.

"Data…?" she murmured,

"I am here," he said, kneeling down beside her and taking her hand.

"I have no idea where she could have contracted it," Beverly mumbled, her face scrunching up as she mentally listed every crew member who had ever come to her with the illness.

"She has contact almost daily with hundreds of people who come through Ten Forward," Data reminded the doctor.

"Well, she should begin feeling better very soon. But for now she needs rest."

"Thank you, doctor. I will make sure she gets safely to her quarters."

Beverly nodded and left them, dispersing the rubber-neckers as she did so.

Data gently hefted Samantha into his arms and began walking to her quarters.

* * *

When Sam fully awakened, she was in her own bed and Data was in a chair directly next to her.

"How long have I been asleep?" Sam asked, her voice rough.

"Approximately fourteen hours," Data told her.

Sam sighed heavily. "I hope I didn't ruin the wedding."

"Do not concern yourself. The wedding was coming to a close when you fell ill."

"I'm still sorry," she said, closing her eyes again.

"Samantha," Data said, and she looked over at him again. "While we were dancing, before your incident…you were going to say something about me. I am sorry that this is not the most opportune time, but I find that I have been preoccupied with it. I have been wondering what it was you were about to say. Do you remember?"

Sam was quiet for a long time before she finally whispered her answer.

"No. I'm sorry…I don't remember at all."


	10. In Theory

**In Theory**

Samantha saw them from across Ten Forward and smiled.

Data sat with Miles and Keiko O'Brien, and a young Lieutenant that Samantha hadn't met before. Sam adored the O'Briens and she loved seeing people interact with Data and include him in their socializing.

As she watched, the blonde Lieutenant leaned closer to Data, laughing about something, and grasped onto his arm the way that Keiko did with Miles.

"...Samantha, are you alright?! Samantha?!" Guinan suddenly stood before her, grabbing at her right hand and pressing down with a clean rag. The rag soon began to turn red, and Samantha shook herself out of the daze she had found herself in.

"Guinan?" she questioned, looking down at the blood-soaked cloth.

"What happened?" Guinan asked. The scene had begun garnering attention from prying eyes nearby.

"I'm not sure," Samantha told her. "I was thinking about something and then…," she looked down at the shattered glass at her feet, "…I guess the glass broke and cut my hand."

"I will accompany you to Sick Bay," came Data's voice to her left.

Samantha's head whipped around to take in her friend. His face was expressionless, but he had already wrapped a protective arm around her waist and was leading her out of the room. He turned to nod at Guinan, and Samantha glanced back at the table where he had been sitting. Miles and Keiko looked concerned, but the blonde Lieutenant was frowning.

Two days later, during their nightly meal, Data asked the question that Samantha had subconsciously feared.

"Samantha," he began, while she chewed a mouthful of replicated cheeseburger, "I have been asking friends and colleagues for advice in a personal matter. As I consider you one of my closest friends, I was hoping I could ask you, as well?"

Samantha just nodded, dumbly.

Data continued, "Lt. Jenna D'Sora recently initiated the process of starting a romantic liaison with me. I was wondering, especially as a woman of similar age, if you had any advice regarding how I should proceed?"

Samantha swallowed thickly and stared at her friend for a moment. He looked sincerely interested in whatever she might have to say…the problem being that she had no idea what to tell him.

"Well," she began, slowly, "What do you think of her?"

Data's eyebrows knit together for a moment before he answered. "I look forward to spending time with her. We work well together. We have recently been rehearsing Beethoven's 9th Symphony, but she requires much encouragement."

"I see," Samantha said, schooling her expression into a passive one, and wondering just when the hell she had begun feeling so wretched. She finally collected her thoughts, cleared her throat, and answered, "If you like her…if you see a possible future with her…then I think you should pursue it. Just…please be careful. It's possible that she might not really understand you. She might think that she does, but it's possible that she may expect things from you that you can't give her. Do you know what I mean?"

Data nodded. "You mean that I cannot love her. I cannot be hurt by her, but she can be hurt by me."

Samantha frowned. "Something like that. Yes, she can be hurt…but you have to understand that if her feelings become hurt by something you do, or don't do, it's not necessarily your fault. I know you would never purposefully hurt anyone. So I can see you over-thinking it, and maybe not understanding what she would have rather you done in the situation, and blaming yourself for the outcome. You may not be able to be hurt, but you can be taken advantage of."

"With all due respect," Data said, "I do not believe I would allow myself to be taken advantage of."

"See, you think that," Samantha went on, "But I know you, and I know you overanalyze and always think that _you _did something wrong, when really you were just being yourself."

Data blinked at his friend a couple of times and then said, "As I told Counselor Troi, I have studied romance and human relationships for many years, and there are many literary heroes that I could emulate…"

Data was cut off by a gasp. Samantha's burger plopped quite noisily onto her plate and stood up.

"Data!" Samantha yelled, rounding the table and stooping down by his side, "Don't ever emulate someone! Always be yourself! If you act like someone else, how can a person know if they really like you? In fact, that would be like building an entire relationship on a lie! Honesty is always the best policy in relationships!"

Data nodded at her, silently wondering why she had suddenly become so animated, but deciding to ask her at a later time.

"I understand," he said, taking Samantha's hand in their old, familiar way. "I will do my best to be myself, and still put my best foot forward, as it were. I will not let you down."

With that, he wished Samantha a good night and left her quarters.

Samantha watched him go, as she did every other night when they ate in her quarters, but this time it felt like there was a rock in her stomach.

She didn't have the strength within her to admit why.

* * *

It took exactly three days before Jenna D'Sora approached her.

"You must be Samantha," the young officer said, sitting down at the bar.

"That's me," Samantha said with false cheer that she hoped wasn't too obvious. "What can I get for you?"

"Oh, nothing, thank you," Jenna answered, politely, "I really just wanted to talk to you."

"To me? Why?" Samantha leaned in closer to the other woman, honestly curious.

"You're friends with Data," Jenna stated, very matter-of-factly, "and the two of you spend a lot of time together. I've actually wanted to make dates with him at certain times, but he's said that he can't because he has standing plans with you. And I was just wondering…is there anything else going on that I should know about?"

"Um," Samantha leaned back a bit and considered how best to diplomatically answer such a question. "The only thing going on is dinner and conversation, so unless you need to know the menu for the week, I can't think of anything that would be of much interest to you."

"Well, it's of interest to me," Jenna replied, frowning slightly, "because Data and I are a couple now, but he isn't putting me first. Instead, he's off to dinner with another woman. I know you're from a different time, but you must understand how that looks. Of course there's been talk around the ship practically since you arrived here that the two of you have some sort of…arrangement. So what I want to know is, quite plainly, is it true?"

Samantha knew her mouth was gaping open like a codfish, but she couldn't even bring herself to close it. Several retorts entered her mind at once, but the one at the forefront was the one that ended up being voiced.

"…So you're saying that you thought there was a chance that Data and I are…um…more than friends? And yet you pursued him anyway?"

Jenna visibly stiffened and grabbed onto the edge of the bar. "Well, not exactly. He doesn't really get hints, so I assumed that if I made my intentions clear and he wasn't interested for whatever reason, he'd let me know."

"You're right," Samantha said, quietly. "Data is loyal. He would have let you know. And he did, by telling you that we have standing plans for dinner. Just because we're not dating, does that make our relationship less important in your eyes? Would you come between our friendship?"

"Of course not," Jenna said, standing and looking fairly satisfied with herself, "he can be friends with whomever he wishes. But while we're together, I would rather not have to sneak around late into the evening like some sort of tryst, just because he's tied up nightly with you. Or try to squeeze in a lunch date, which our schedules rarely allow. So for the time being, his dinners with you are cancelled. That doesn't mean you can't still be friends."

"Who the hell do you-" Samantha began, starting to come around the bar, but was stopped short by a firm hand on her arm.

"Samantha, could you please fetch me that bottle of Draylaxian whiskey from my quarters? The unopened one, if you would?"

Samantha looked at Guinan and frowned. "Sure," she finally said, and left the bar with one last backward glare at Jenna.

Jenna didn't even look at Guinan as she left from the opposite door. The El-Aurian heaved a sigh and mumbled to herself, "I'm getting too old for this."

* * *

It was 1700 hours when Samantha's door chimed. Unfortunately, she didn't hear it because she was too busy blaring a song that she'd come across in the long line of music that had come out after she was already cryogenically frozen and shot off into space. She found it apropos as she bounced around her quarters, singing along.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!

I don't like your girlfriend!

No way! No way!

I think you need a new one!

Hey! Hey! You! You!

I could be your girlfriend!

Hey! Hey! You! You!

I know that you like me!

No way! No way!

I know it's not a secret…"

The doors to Samantha's quarters swished open to reveal Data, looking a bit sheepish and confused.

Sam jumped in surprise and ordered the music off.

"Um, Data," she said, "I'm sorry, come in."

"Is this a bad time?" Data began, barely crossing the threshold into Sam's quarters.

"No, no, not really. I was just, um, catching up on 21st century pop music," Sam explained, awkwardly. "Is something wrong? I thought you had a date with Jenna tonight?"

Data was quiet for a moment and then said, "I told Jenna that you and I had dinner plans, and she reacted poorly. She then informed me that she had spoken to you regarding our standing plans, and I believe she must have been quite rude to you. I apologize."

Samantha let out a scoff and said, "You shouldn't be the one apologizing, Data. If Jenna wants to say something to me, she can come say it herself. I guess I'm not surprised by how she acted, though. Humans have been jealous creatures since the dawn of time."

"Are you?" Data asked, cocking his head to one side.

Samantha opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally saying, "Yes, I suppose I am. I was used to us having our time together…and it's hard to accept change. That's all."

"Is that all?" Data pressed, which caught Sam completely off guard.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Data finally let himself fully into Sam's quarters and stood before her, looking quite serious. "Jenna has dissolved our relationship as of tonight. She did not like that I had thoughts beyond my fondness for her, or that she was not first in my thoughts. I tried explaining to her that I can process many different variables, problems, and computations at once…but she did not accept that answer."

Sam frowned and said, "Of course she didn't. I was afraid that might happen. And then after our little talk in Ten Forward, I was even more sure. Data, she wasn't right for you."

"Which brings me back to my question," he said. "Jenna made it a point to tell me that one of the reasons our relationship didn't work out…was you."

"Me?" Sam repeated, confused. "But I was as polite to her as possible, considering the circumstances! I could have punched her, but I didn't!"

"Samantha, you really should stop threatening to punch people you do not like," Data chided, but there was little conviction behind his words.

"Anyway," Sam went on, "She came to me and accused me of usurping all of your time, and then asked if there was something going on between us that she needed to know about. That's not a very nice way to introduce yourself to your boyfriend's friends. So can you blame me for not reacting well?"

Data shook his head. "No, I do not blame you. And Jenna has told me all of this. That is not what I meant. What I mean is…_is there something going on between us? _Because, Samantha, you really must let me know if there is."

Sam was completely thunderstruck. Of all the things she had expected her friend to say, that had not even crossed her mind.

"Data," she began, as gently as possible. "Whether or not two people are more than friends is something that they both have to decide. It's not up to just one of them."

"I understand," he assured her. "but wouldn't those two people still have to discuss the matter to know that they are both considering the same possibility?"

Sam plopped down heavily in a nearby chair, because she realized that her legs had begun shaking. Trying to maintain her composure, she asked, "Data, what is it you're really asking me?"

He looked around her quarters then, his eyes landing on the portrait of Lal that he had painted for her.

"You have been there for me through many difficult situations," he said. "And Jenna is not the first member of the crew to insinuate that we have a relationship beyond friendship. But it was only tonight that I realized that, if we do, I am unaware of it."

"If I were male, do you think they would be asking you things like that?" Sam asked, watching Data intently.

The question seemed to take him by surprise. "No, I suppose not," he said after a while. "I am, after all, close friends with Geordi, and no one has ever remarked that we are in a relationship."

"Exactly," Sam said with a nod. "Back in my time, people were the same way. They want to see their friends happy and in relationships, but they have a hard time believing that a man and a woman can just be friends. There's this assumption that things will inevitably become muddled with attraction or sex."

"Must they be muddled?" Data inquired. "That seems to disregard any notion that the relationship could be a success."

Sam thought about that for a moment before answering. "For humans, I think the fear always exists that the relationship will fail. Rejection isn't pleasant. And I know, for me, when I really care about someone, I would rather have them in my life as a friend than not at all. Not everyone is lucky enough to have rebuilt a friendship after a break-up, like Deanna and Will."

Sam looked intently at Data, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

Fortunately, he seemed to take her words at face value.

With a nod, he said, "I believe I understand. There are many factors, and one of them is the possible loss of a friendship."

"Yes, exactly," Sam confirmed.

"I do not believe Jenna will want to be my friend after tonight."

"Her loss," Sam said.

"Thank you, Samantha," Data said, walking back toward the door. "As always, your particular brand of insight is refreshing and appreciated."

With that, he excused himself and left her quarters.

That night, Sam cried herself to sleep over a copy of the book _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_


	11. Time's Arrow

**Time's Arrow**

_This took me absolutely forever, sorry about that. This chapter is rated M for sexual content. You can probably skip it if you wish...it's simply a natural progression and probably won't appear much throughout other chapters._

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it?" Data asked Geordi at the bar in Ten Forward.

"Yeah," Geordi said, earnestly. "I mean…aren't you concerned? The burden of knowing that you're going to die..."

"Actually," Data said with a tilt of his head, "I am somewhat comforted by my own mortality. Everyone dies, Geordi. Except for me. I was faced with the possibility of living for centuries, if not longer. This gives me some sense of comfort."

"Well," Geordi continued, sounding unimpressed, "I'm not comforted. Everyone who cares for you is going to be upset by this. Losing a friend, a comrade, is never easy. And you really need to go talk to Samantha, because something tells me she won't be handling it well at all."

Data nodded. "True, she has no formal Starfleet training and is not well equipped to deal with the loss of a crewmember."

Geordi's mouth gaped open at his friend, wondering (not for the first time) if he was purposefully being obtuse.

"Data, this isn't about losing a crewmember. This is about losing _you._ When you were taken by Kivas Fajo a couple of years ago, and we all thought you were dead, she was ready to leave the ship. She wouldn't talk to anyone. I'm afraid that this time, with this proof…just go talk to her, okay?"

"Alright," Data agreed with a nod. "I will go now."

With that, he got up and left his friend to brood.

Geordi happened to look over at Guinan, and noticed her watching Data very intently.

* * *

Samantha knew who it was the second her door chimed.

"Come in," she called, trying to keep her voice steady.

Data entered, and was a bit taken aback to see Samantha sitting calmly at her desk, a book in her hand. It was as if nothing was wrong.

"Samantha," Data began, "may I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course," she said with a forced smile. She put her book down on the desk and turned in her chair toward her friend. She motioned for him to take a vacant chair nearby.

Still looking puzzled, Data sat.

"I am curious," he said after a moment. "Are you not…upset?"

Samantha's eyebrows winged up at that, but her reply was diplomatic. "What makes you think I would be upset?"

"Geordi," Data answered, honestly. "He suggested that I come speak to you because…well, we are best friends, are we not? Evidently, you have a history of making rash decisions in my absence."

"Ah," Samantha said. "Yes, your absence. Is that what we're calling it now?"

"My death," Data corrected, and Sam flinched at the word.

Samantha was quiet as she collected her thoughts. Finally, she rose and walked over to her friend. Kneeling down beside him, she took one of his hands in her own and said, "This is going to sound far too optimistic coming from me, but being on this ship has taught me to never give up. This may look like the end…but we've been through tougher situations than this. I'm not counting my chickens before they've hatched."

Data opened his mouth to explain what made this situation different, and how it had nothing to do with domesticated fowl, but Samantha shushed him.

"I don't care about logic or fate or any of that right now," she said, softly. "I know that this looks bad…but this is the Enterprise. So, damn it, I'm going to stay positive that we can find a way around this mess until the absolute last possible moment."

Data gave Samantha a little lop-sided smile and said, "This positive outlook suits you. You are usually the most cynical of my friends."

"Yeah, well," Sam said, rising to her feet. "Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf. Just promise me that you won't go running straight into danger anytime soon?"

Data opened his mouth, then closed it again. "I cannot make that promise," he said. "But I promise that I will not purposefully get myself killed."

Samantha gave an exaggerated sigh and said, "I guess that's all I can ask."

With that, Data left her quarters to get back to duty. After all, they had more pressing matters to attend to.

* * *

Samantha barely made it to the transporter room in time.

The entire senior staff, including Captain Picard, were about to head down to the planet where Data had disappeared.

"I'm coming with you!" Sam said, breathlessly, as she skidded to a stop in front of the transporter platform.

"Absolutely not," said the Captain. "This is a dangerous away mission, and you are not a Starfleet officer."

"If it's such a dangerous away mission, then why are you going?" argued Samantha.

"That's not your concern," said the Captain, roughly. Then, as he looked at her, his face softened. "I know you're worried about him, as we all are, but I don't see how you coming with us could possibly change matters. You may just end up getting hurt."

"Captain," Samantha said, straightening up and trying to sound as convincing as possible. "If you don't let me come on this mission, I will find some other way down to the planet. Don't think for one moment that I'll ever stop trying to find him. So I may just end up getting hurt anyway. Wouldn't it be better if I came with you?"

"Captain, if I may," interrupted Will Riker. "She would be better off with us than on her own. She's tenacious enough that I don't doubt what she says. At least this way, she would be with trained officers."

Deanna's eyes were fixed on Samantha, but Sam tried her best to ignore the Betazoid. She knew her friend was reading a whole mess of emotions coming off of her in that moment, but there was little she could do about it.

"I agree," Deanna finally said, coming to her friend's rescue. "I sense that she means what she says. She'll just get herself into trouble unless we let her come."

"Fine," the Captain agreed, grudgingly. "But you're not to leave Lieutenant Worf's side. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Sam said, jumping up onto the platform.

* * *

"Mr. Worf, I need you on the Enterprise," Captain Picard told his security chief. "Take Samantha with you."

"Absolutely not!" Sam yelled as the time vortex swirled around them, "This is where Data ended up, so I'm going!"

"There is no time to argue!" Picard snapped at the younger woman.

"Then stop wasting time arguing!" Sam snapped back.

"Sir…?" Worf's question hung in the air.

Finally, Picard said, "Mr. Worf, go back and take command of the Enterprise. We're going to follow these aliens and find out what they're doing in the past...and perhaps find Mr. Data."

"The rest of you," he went on, his eyes sweeping over the rest of the senior staff and Samantha, "are with me."

With that, Worf beamed away and the rest of them entered the strange time vortex together.

* * *

"You guys do what you want," Sam said as the senior staff continued to come up with a plan to locate the aliens. "But right now, we're much closer to my time than yours, and I'm going to concentrate on finding Data."

"And how do you propose to find him on your own?" Captain Picard asked, not unkindly.

With a cheshire smile she answered, "I'm going to go ask around town, of course! Man, you future-types rely too much on technology. There's no way Data would have gone unnoticed when he showed up."

With that, she jumped up and wound her long hair up into an oversized newsboy hat.

She had chosen the guise of a teenage boy, figuring that she'd have an easier time getting around town alone if she were male. Honestly, she didn't know that much about this time period. But she guessed it couldn't hurt.

"Good luck!" She called to her crewmates as she headed out the door.

She was already out of ear shot when Captain Picard said, only loud enough for the senior staff to hear, "You, too."

* * *

Sam had already asked everyone she'd passed on the street if they'd seen a pale man in strange clothes lately, but she wasn't getting anywhere.

"He'd need a place to stay," Sam said to herself as she happened upon a hotel.

There was a young man out front, squinting into the sun. He was dressed as a bellhop and seemed to be staring at her. Sam shrugged and approached him.

"Hi," she said, smiling in what she hoped was a friendly and masculine way. "Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for someone."

"Yeah?" the young man said, looking at her warily. "You must be new in town. I don't recognize you, and I know most everyone around here."

"I just got into town today," Samantha confirmed. "I came looking for my good friend. You'd know if you'd seen him. He's about this tall…" she made a motion with her hands slightly over the bellhop's own head, "and he's very pale and…"

"Do you mean Mr. Data?" the man interrupted her.

"Yes!" Sam exclaimed, startling the man. "Do you know where he is?"

"Sure, he's staying right here in this hotel. I could take you to him, but how do I know you're on the up and up?"

Sam blinked. "Um, you're just going to have to trust me? Believe me, he'll be very pleased if you take me to him."

"Okay," said the bellhop after a time. "Follow me."

They arrived in front of a door just like any other, but Sam found herself wringing her hands and fidgeting.

She was nervous, because she knew what she was finally going to have to do. What she was finally going to have to say.

Taking a steadying breath, she knocked. "Shave and a haircut, two bits," she sing-songed.

The door opened slowly, and suddenly he was in front of her.

"Samantha?" Data questioned, as he swung the door completely open.

"Data!" Sam leapt away from the bellhop who had led her to him and flung herself into the android's arms.

In doing so, her newsboy hat flew off and let her waist-long hair free, causing the bellhop to exclaim, "you're a girl!"

Sam ignored him, as wrapping her arms around her friend's neck and never letting go was much more important to her at the moment.

"Samantha," Data said again, looking legitimately surprised, "what are you doing here? You are not alone, are you?"

Sam pulled back to look him in the eyes, but did not release her grasp. "No, no, everyone came except for Worf. They're trying to find the aliens, but I had to find you."

Data looked away from Samantha and over to the still very surprised bellhop hovering in the hallway.

"Jack," Data said, "did you lead my companion here?"

"Yes, sir," Jack said, hoping that was the right answer.

"Thank you very much," Data said, gently removing Samantha and walking over to the young man. He handed the bellhop what looked to be a huge wad of cash, whispered a few words, then sent him on his way.

"What did you say to him?" Samantha asked as Data escorted her into the room, then made sure the door was closed and locked.

"I told him that your presence is our secret, and that we are not to be disturbed. There is a man who has been lurking around, Samuel Clemens, and I am afraid that his curiosity about me would get the better of him, and he may begin harassing you."

Samantha's face lit up, "You're kidding me…Samuel Clemens, as in Mark Twain?"

Data allowed a small smile, knowing Samantha's love of books.

"The one and only," he said.

Samantha's eyes had gone wide with wonder. "I would love to meet him…but you're probably right, it would be a bad idea. Time travel rules and all that. Limiting our involvement with the local people."

Data looked at his friend in surprise again. "I did not know that you were so familiar with time travel theory and the rules of engagement."

Sam laughed. "I'm not, really. But we did have science fiction back in my time, you know."

"Anyway," Sam went on, hopping up onto the large, untouched bed. "I had to find you before…before anything happened to you. Really for my own selfish reasons, though."

Data walked over to his friend and sat down beside her. He took her hand and laced their fingers together, their own special little ritual. "I do not believe I have ever known you to be selfish," Data said after a moment.

Samantha said nothing to that, but quietly began, "I will never forget the first time we held hands like this. I was the one who reached for you, and you seemed surprised. The truth is, I needed the touch. I needed the support, because I was scared out of my mind. I didn't want to be sent away. I wanted to decide my own fate."

"And so you did, and have done so ever since," Data assured her.

Sam turned toward him, and clasped his hand even closer to her own body. "But I didn't. If I had only been honest with myself before now, maybe things could have been different. Step on a butterfly and change the future, you know? Maybe if I had told you…well, maybe if I hadn't been such a coward, we wouldn't have found your head underneath San Francisco."

"Samantha," Data said, his tone patient, "you must know that nothing you could have done would have changed this scenario. That is simply not how it works. Everything that was meant to happen, has happened. Everything we have done has led us to this point."

"Yes, I'm sure you're right," Sam said, very quietly. "Except for this."

With that, she leaned in and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. She poured every ounce of courage into it, every bit of strength from every single year that she hadn't told him how she felt, and every bit of fear that she was about to lose him.

After a few seconds, she felt Data's demeanor shift. His arms went around her waist, he gently pulled her even closer, and he was kissing her back.

Samantha could have cried at the cruel irony.

After a few more precious moments, she had to break for air. As she pulled away, she saw Data's eyes flutter back open. He looked confused, as if he had no idea what had just happened.

"Samantha…" he began, but she shushed him with a gentle finger to his lips.

"I'm sorry I waited until I thought you were about to die. I'm sorry I was too much of a coward to tell you how I feel. I love you. That is, I'm in love with you. Deeply, passionately, almost reverently. I have been for a long time."

"How long?" Data asked, nearly whispering the question.

Samantha grinned and said, "Four years, two months, one week, three days, twelve hours…"

Data surprised her by cutting off her good-natured teasing with another kiss, though this one was softer and more chaste.

"What was that for?" Samantha breathed as he pulled back.

"I do not know," Data replied, honestly. "It seemed the right thing to do. Samantha, I am not as surprised by your confession as you may think. There have been times I have considered broaching the subject with you, myself, as we have faced many dangers and I realized that I would be very negatively affected if something were to happen to you. It is, quite frankly, one of the reasons I began our synapsis scanning experiment. But I never wished to voice these thoughts to you because you had made it very clear that you did not wish for our association to change in any way."

Samantha opened her mouth to object, but Data continued. "However. I will admit that your reasoning seemed flawed. Still, I did not wish to offend you."

Samantha's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "But, Data, I don't understand…why did you even start thinking about me like that in the first place? You had such a bad experience with Jenna D'Sora…"

"You are correct," Data interrupted, gently. "But the thought of you being a compatible mate first occurred because of Lal. You accepted her so readily. You were a mother to her. Your warmth and support was not lost on me, and I am still sorry that her loss was so hard for you. Then, a year later, I tried and failed to have a relationship with Lt. D'Sora. It was then that I realized that, with you, I do not have to try at all. I once told Counselor Troi that I believe I have much to offer a potential mate, and that I have entertained the idea that someday I might marry…but it was not until I failed as a mate for Jenna that I truly understood the importance of being able to connect with someone on a deeply personal level. _You _are the person with whom I connect the best."

Samantha's eyes welled with unshed tears and she scooted even closer to Data until she was practically in his lap. She held onto his hands like life-lines.

After a few moments of companionable silence, Samantha quietly said, "All this time, wasted. We could have been together, Data. We could have been working toward something, and now…" her thought trailed off because she could no longer swallow the lump that had formed in her throat at the thought of Data's fate.

"I am truly sorry, Samantha," Data said, and he did look as miserable as Sam had ever seen him. "If it is any consolation, I was content with my mortality until this moment."

"Mortality," Samantha repeated, not looking at him. "Mortality is stupid."

Data opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly Samantha was kissing him again. This time it was more forceful, more persistent. Data closed his eyes and responded in kind.

Samantha slowly ran her hands up the lapels of his suit jacket, and then gently pushed it from his shoulders. She had begun on the buttons of his waistcoat before Data thought to say something.

Very gently pushing Samantha away, though they were still close enough to share the same breath, Data said, "Samantha, I need to be absolutely certain that I am interpreting this situation correctly."

"You are," Samantha breathed, kissing him again. She finished unbuttoning his waistcoat and had his tie off in record time. At some point they had ended up laying down on the large bed, and Sam pulled Data over her.

Data seemed more flustered than Sam had ever seen him before, and she grinned a bit to herself, knowing that she had caused that reaction.

Samantha broke away from another passionate kiss so that she could look Data in the eyes. Without saying a word, she plucked at the suspenders of her newsboy outfit.

"I assume this means that you would like for me to assume the dominant role?" Data asked.

"Yes, please," Sam replied, arching up into him.

"Ah," Data said, as if he had just solved a particularly hard mathematical problem. "I have little experience in this area, but if you wish to be submissive, I believe I have programming extremely well suited for pleasuring you. Would you allow me to try?"

Sam laughed then, unbuttoning his white shirt and slipping it off him. "Data, I don't know of any woman who could refuse a proposition like that."

"Very well," he said, leaning down to kiss her again.

This time, he began undressing her. He slid the suspenders from her shoulders, then unbuttoned her shirt and exposed her plain, Starfleet issue bra. Samantha was not a large woman, but she had ample cleavage for her size. Data palmed her breasts through her bra cups and then lowered his head to lick the exposed skin.

Samantha sucked in a breath at the feeling of Data's mouth on her, and lifted her knees to cradle his body between her legs. She used her thighs to pull him closer, and crossed her ankles behind his ass to keep him in place.

Data was much stronger than her, though, and would not be still. He moved down her body, kissing every inch of exposed skin. When he reached the waistband of her shorts, he quickly divested her of them. Her plain, Starfleet issue white panties were already soaked through with her desire, and he planted an open-mouthed kiss to the dark, wet spot that he found there.

"Data, please!" Sam cried out, and he took the hint. He pulled her panties down and finally exposed her most intimate place to his eyes.

Sam watched him gaze at her for a moment, as if she were some kind of apparition that might disappear at any moment, and she felt a lump form in her throat. She had a been dreaming of this for so long, but perhaps he had wondered, as well...

All thoughts left Samantha's head when Data's mouth found her center. He devoured her, hard and fast, laving her slit with the flat of his tongue. Sam knew she must look possessed with the way she was bucking against his face, but she certainly didn't care. She felt his tongue enter her deeply and decisively, as if he had already discovered where she was most sensitive.

Data noticed that Samantha did not shout out swear words, nor did she moan. She did, however, make keening sounds that he knew must be carrying through the thin walls of the hotel room. There would likely be much gossip later. But Data was used to gossip.

Samantha arched completely off the bed as her orgasm took her, but Data also knew he had achieved success from other variables. Her body temperature spiked, her feminine fluids poured out and stained the rough sheets, and the animalistic sounds she had been making reached an octave that reminded him of something Samantha had once said about an absentminded note played on his violin. "Only dogs can hear you now," she had said of the high-pitched note.

As Samantha lay panting, her heart rate slowing, Data leaned over her and quipped, "only the dogs can hear you now."

Samantha blushed prettily and playfully slapped his arm.

Once her breathing had quieted, she pulled Data over her again and said, "that was wonderful, but I need you now. I've always needed you."

Data was familiar enough with human colloquialisms to understand what she meant. He quickly lined them up and, never taking his eyes off her face, slowly pushed into her.

Samantha threw her head back and squeezed her eyes shut, taking in the feeling. Not only had she been dreaming of this moment for an embarrassingly long time, she also hadn't had any sex that didn't involve her own hand since awaking aboard the Enterprise. This moment was long overdue.

Soon enough, Data was engulfed inside of Samantha, and began moving very slowly. Quick, shallow thrusts that were more like rocking back and forth into her. Samantha responded positively to the feeling and wrapped her arms around the back of Data's neck, pulling him down even closer to her. As he made love to her, she closed the distance between them and kissed him. She could taste herself on his lips, and it only heightened her arousal.

"Harder," she finally demanded, a bit breathlessly.

Data picked up the pace, pulling out further and plunging in faster. He had already calculated the exact amount of pressure he could impose upon her before he injured her.

"Faster," she breathed, and he picked up the pace again.

Soon, she was meeting him thrust for thrust, and keening again. Data reflected that in his one other sexual encounter, he had never felt like such an active participant. He had been the one in the submissive position, and he had not been as concerned as to the pleasure of his partner…simply because she seemed to be doing fine on her own. And where Tasha had wanted gentleness (was it right to be thinking of her in this moment? Data wasn't sure.) Samantha seemed to want him to be more forceful.

With Samantha, he truly felt as if they were together, as close as two people could possibly be. And he couldn't help the errant thought that Samantha was not likely to insist that the entire encounter never happened.

Data could not experience pleasure, himself. No as such. Nor did he feel sexual desire. But as he watched Sam's face screw up into what almost looked like a scowl of concentration, and felt her body begin to react again as she reached completion, he could not help but feel a certain sense that he could only refer to as pride. Pride that he had pleased his most valued companion.

As she reached orgasm again, this time Samantha did cry out. It sounded a bit like his name, though he couldn't be certain. As she came down from her high, he continued to thrust shallowly, letting her ride it out for as long as possible. Samantha absently bucked into him, riding him, and Data wash't even certain if she realized she was doing it.

Finally, Data removed himself from Samantha's body, and she looked up at him through lust-darkened eyes and wiped some sweat from her brow.

"I love you," she said.

Data opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. He looked at her almost sadly.

"Samantha," he said, "you know that I cannot love."

Samantha gave him a small, encouraging smile and said, "I can love enough for the both of us."

Data's mouth gaped at that statement. It was so similar to what Lal had told him at the time of her passing…and they had been alone at the time, and he had never told anyone her final words. Not even Samantha.

He watched Samantha with fascination as she sat up and began dressing, and didn't say another word.

* * *

After picking up the vast majority of the Enterprise's senior staff in a horse-drawn carriage of all things, including their commanding officer, Data was instructed to drive them back to a place called Mrs. Carmichael's Boarding House.

Once there, Samantha basically refused to leave Data's side, and at one point Deanna had to whisper to her that her shirt was on inside out.

The change between the two was not lost of anyone, especially Will Riker who kept grinning at them, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. Like saving the human race of the 19th century from murderous aliens.

And then it happened. It happened in a cave underneath San Francisco, just as it was meant to.

Data's decapitated body made it through the time rift, along with Mr. Clemens. When it was suggested that the head they had previously recovered might be reattached to Data's body, Samantha didn't dare get her hopes up. As much faith as she had in Geordi, 500 years was an awfully long time to be offline. Even for a remarkable Soong-type android.

"But," Sam whispered to herself as she ran off to hide in her quarters, "my GameBoy did still work after being in the attic for ten years. It just needed some fresh batteries."

But Data was not a GameBoy. So she locked her door and waited.

When her door chimed, Sam prepared herself for the worst. It had to be Geordi there to personally tell her that Data was gone.

She said nothing as she walked over and pressed the button that would unlock and open her door.

Before her stood Data, still in his 19th century suit.

"May I come in?" he asked.

Samantha stepped aside and allowed him to enter, too flabbergasted to say anything.

The door slid closed again, and before she knew what was happening, Sam had flung herself into Data's arms and was holding on with all of her might.

"You're alive," she finally whispered into his neck.

"Yes," he confirmed, his arms wrapping around her. "I was wondering if I might impose upon you to allow me to change into a proper uniform here? Your quarters are closer than mine."

"Of course," Samantha said with a grin, though a single tear slid down her cheek.

They didn't have much time, but somehow "changing" turned into making love once more in Samantha's own bed before Data headed up to the bridge. This time, she climbed on top and rode him hard and fast. She collapsed on top of him for a moment, but Data gently dislodged her and reminded her that he had a shift on the bridge to attend to.

"Come back to me," she whispered as he got up to leave.

"I believe I will," he said.


	12. Interlude Three: Speechless

**New Episode Interlude 3: Speechless**

As it stood, life was progressing pretty normally for Samantha Jacobs. As normally as it could, anyway, given that she was hundreds of years in the future, her whole family was long dead, and she was dating an android.

That last bit made her smile.

She stopped what she was doing, which was serving some prune juice to a grumpy Klingon, and gazed out of the large windows that surrounded Ten Forward. She watched her own reflection, and saw the big grin that spread across her face.

"You're doing it again," Guinan said, appearing from out of no where.

Sam spun around to look at the El-Aurian, clutching her serving tray to her chest in surprise.

"Doing what?" she asked.

"You're completely ignoring the fact that I need help running this bar, because you're too busy staring into the sky with a love-sick smile on your face."

Sam opened her mouth to protest, but behind her Worf laughed. The sound actually made Sam jump.

"What's so funny?" Sam asked him, a bit defensively.

"You," he said, simply. "You are experiencing **par'Mach, **you are in love…or simply enamored. It is normal to be preoccupied."

"Oh?" Samantha said, sitting down at Worf's table, "even for fierce Klingon warriors?"

"Klingon's," Worf began, taking on the tone he often used with his son, "are a very romantic people. Our love poetry is renowned throughout the galaxy. We believe that choosing a suitable mate is one of the most important aspects of a Klingon's life. Each must be worthy of the other. Equals in battle." With that, he raised a knowing eyebrow and said, "_all _battles."

Samantha flushed a bit at that and said, "Well, I'm hardly some lovesick schoolgirl. I'm also the farthest thing from a Klingon warrior. As for being equals…" Sam's thought trailed off as she thought about that particular point. Worf sipped his prune juice.

"Excuse me," Samantha said after a moment. She left her tray on Worf's table and rushed out of Ten Forward.

Guinan walked over to Worf and gave him a good-natured smile. "What did you say to that poor girl?"

Worf's eyebrows flew up as he exclaimed, "Nothing! I was simply explaining to her that being infatuated is natural."

"And you're sure you used those exact words?" Guinan asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Worf swallowed thickly but was saved by a call over his comm badge.

"Lt. Worf to the bridge," came Commander Riker's voice.

"Excuse me," Worf said, rising from his seat and practically sprinting out of Ten Forward.

Guinan shook her head with a sigh and went about her business.

* * *

"I'm such an idiot!" Sam cried, pacing Deanna Troi's office.

Her friend watched her calmly from a nearby chair. Deanna's arms and legs were crossed as she let Sam wear herself out.

When Sam gave no indication that she was going to calm down anytime soon, Deanna finally interrupted.

"Samantha," the Betazoid began, "maybe you could start by telling me what happened to make you so upset?"

Sam finally stopped pacing and faced the counselor.

"It was something Worf said. About how it's important to be an equal with your partner. But…I'm not. I'm nothing! I'm an idiot nobody from the past who isn't any good to anyone!"

Deanna couldn't completely stifle the smile that lifted the very corner of her lips.

"I think Data would disagree with you," the counselor said. "You've been good to him. Better than most, in fact. And if not you, then who?"

Sam shook her head. "I don't know. Anyone else. Someone smarter and more talented…"

Deanna held up a hand to stop her. "Samantha, you're being irrational. I know you harbored feelings for Data for a long time, and sometimes wanting a thing is more satisfying than having it…"

"Not at all!" Samantha exclaimed. "He's wonderful! In fact, very little has changed between us. It's just that…why me? I don't deserve him."

Deanna stood and walked to the door, motioning for Sam to follow her. "That's not for you to decide. He's chosen you, and I know you love him. You must respect that Data thinks that you deserve him. And in the meantime, go talk to him about how you're feeling. You have to make yourself vulnerable in relationships."

Sam frowned at that, but she thanked Deanna and left her office feeling slightly better than when she'd arrived.

* * *

Data was working on a report when his door buzzed.

"Enter," he called out, not looking up from his work.

Samantha entered so quietly that he may not have heard her at all, if not for his advanced senses. He didn't even have to look up to know that she was worried about something.

Finishing the final paragraph of his report, Data finally looked up and saw that he had been correct. Samantha was pale, her heart rate was elevated, and she was fidgeting.

Data stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of Samantha. He placed both hands upon her upper arms, as if to steady her. It was something he'd done before, and he'd noted that it did seem to calm her when she needed it.

This time was no different. Samantha let out one deep breath and looked up at Data.

"Hey," she finally said.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Hey," he said back.

Samantha gently shrugged out from underneath his hands, but then took one of his hands in her own and guided him over to the sofa.

They sat together for a moment, Samantha never letting go of his hand. Finally, she spoke.

"I'm not a very good person," she said.

Data looked puzzled, "I disagree."

Sam shook her head, sending black hair fluttering all around her.

"I mean, I'm not very good at being a person."

Data just stared at her, because he had no idea what the hell she was talking about.

With a sigh, Sam changed tracks.

"That is…there are smart, funny, talented women from your own time that would probably be a better match for you. I'm just…well, me."

Data scooted closer to Samantha and, gently letting go of her hand, asked, "Does this mean you wish to dissolve our relationship?"

"No!" Sam exclaimed, tears pooling in her eyes at the thought. "Not at all! I just don't want you to feel some sort of obligation to be with me if you find someone else more…complementary."

Data's lips quirked up in his special little smile as he chose the right words.

"Samantha," he began, "I do not believe your origins, nor your level of intelligence, nor your sense of humor, have much bearing on why I am fond of you."

"They don't?" Sam asked, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

"No," Data shook his head. "I have learned in my years among humans that it is not one thing that makes someone special, but many aspects of their personality and how those things come together to create an individual. We are all molded by our experiences, even me. And no two people have identical experiences. That makes you special. If you were lost, in any way, something beautiful would be lost with you."

Samantha felt the warm tears falling before she even realized that they had broken free.

She leaned over and gave Data a soft, chaste kiss on the lips and then started laughing through her tears.

"I'm so stupid," she said through her giggles.

"I believe I just explained that you are not…" Data began, but Sam held up a hand to stop him.

"No, I mean…as a figure of speech. It was stupid to doubt myself. To doubt _us._ Honestly, I just can't believe that you're here. You're real. You're…the most real thing I've ever experienced."

Data looked puzzled again, but he just shook his head. "Admittedly, you do confound me at times. But I believe I never feel closer to being human than I do when I am with you."

Tears still glistening, Samantha smiled and placed her palm against Data's cheek. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

With that, she replaced her hand with her lips as she gave him one last peck, then she stood and was gone in an instant.

Data stayed seated for a long time, looking after her but not really seeing his quarters or his door. He kept replaying their exchange over and over, analyzing it, looking for clues as to what made Samantha tick.

In the end, he decided that she was far too complicated, and that intrigued him even more.


	13. Descent

**Descent**

_AN: In the novelization for Descent, which I believe was written from the original screenplay and not from what we saw on our screens, there is a disturbing scene where Lore cuts Deanna off from the rest and gets handsy with her. That was the inspiration for the scene between him and Samantha. So if it seems out of the blue, it's not. The exact same thing is technically canon, if you consider the novels canon._

* * *

"There is no time for this," the Borg, Crosis, complained.

Data sneered at the creature and said, "I am making the time. There is something I need to collect before we go. It belongs to me."

He stopped in front of a pair of doors, and entered into the quarters without announcing himself.

Samantha had her back turned, but knew that there was only one person on the ship that would let himself in, unannounced.

"Hey Data," she began. "I was just getting ready to go to…"

It was then that she turned and let out a scream.

"Quiet," Data said, and there was a steeliness to his voice that made him almost unrecognizable. He rushed across the room, almost too fast for the human eye, and was soon grasping Samantha painfully, with one hand clamped over her mouth.

She didn't struggle, because she knew better than anyone that she was no match for Data's strength. Instead, she let herself go limp. Dead weight wouldn't be much of a challenge for him, but she certainly wasn't going to make things easier on him by going willingly. Whatever was going on, she knew it must have something to do with the Borg and Data's recent strange behavior.

"Stand up," Data ordered, but she refused to obey.

"We must go, NOW!" snapped the Borg, and Data began to drag Samantha out of her quarters, following where the Borg led.

They ended up in the shuttle bay, and it was then that Samantha began trying to fight.

"Struggling is useless," Data said, and he actually sounded annoyed with her. "You should know that," he continued, jerking Sam so hard that her neck snapped backward, causing her terrible pain.

Sam let out a cry at the pain, and she could have sworn that Data smiled.

"Which shuttle?" asked the Borg, and Data motioned to one of the smaller vessels.

"Data," Sam tried, her voice as calm and controlled as possible, "Whatever is going on, we'll work through it together. I promise. Just like we've worked through everything together. But I'm not leaving this ship."

"I am afraid you are," Data said, not even looking at her. "As you said, we do everything together now. This included."

With that, he pushed her hard into a shuttlecraft, and Sam fell to her knees. She couldn't help the sob that escaped her as Data stepped over her and toward the cockpit, where the Borg was already seated.

Her neck was killing her, probably whiplash, and she could already feel bruises forming where Data had held her.

And now they were preparing to launch the shuttle and leave all possible help behind.

For the first time since awakening from stasis, Samantha felt truly hopeless.

* * *

She was placed in a small room, far away from anyone else.

Samantha had never met Lore, but she'd heard the stories. So as soon as Data entered with his doppelgänger, she knew exactly who she was dealing with.

"Hello, Lore," Sam said, before the android had even opened his mouth. "I assume this is your doing. The Borg, Data, all of it."

Lore grinned at her. It was so unsettling that Sam wondered how anyone could have ever believed he was Data.

"You're plucky," he finally said, and he spoke so much less formally than Data that it was a bit startling. "I like that."

"The feeling is not mutual," Sam said.

Turning from Lore, she addressed her…boyfriend? Lover? What was he to her?

He was everything to her.

"Data," Sam began, "Lore has brainwashed you somehow. It probably has something to do with that emotion chip you told me about. The one he stole when he killed your father. You remember, don't you? Lore killed your father. You're a Starfleet officer, you can't just let that stand."

"I am not a Starfleet officer," Data said with a snarl that cut through Samantha like a knife. "Not any longer. And you can forget about trying to turn me against my brother. The sons of Soong are united, at long last."

"Then why do you seem so angry?" Sam pressed. "All I've heard from you is anger and hatred. What about other feelings? What about…love?"

Data's smirk, much like his brother's, was off-putting.

"Love," he said with a hint of disgust. "I suppose you think I should love you now? Did it not occur to you that, once I obtained emotions, I would realize that I do not love you?"

"Actually," Sam said, very quietly, "that thought did occur to me."

"Then there is your answer," Data said with a sneer. "You were a dalliance, hardly worthy of my time."

With that, Data turned on his heel and left the room.

Lore stayed behind.

"So," he said, sounding cocky and self-assured as he approached Samantha. "Data's told me all about you. About the two of you. Brother's share everything, you know."

Samantha backed herself into a wall trying to get away from him, his intentions clear. But the room was small and cramped and Lore was blocking the only exit.

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, miraculously keeping her voice from shaking. "Data would never allow…"

"Data is not the one calling the shots here!" Lore snapped at her. "He doesn't allow or disallow anything. I do."

"Besides," Lore continued as he placed both hands on the wall behind Samantha, on either side of her head. "I think Data just made his feelings about you perfectly clear."

He towered over her, but Sam refused to break eye contact. If this was to be the end, she would face it head on.

Leaning down slowly, Lore kissed her. Actually kissed her! He started gently, as if the action was new to him. Samantha didn't respond at all. She kept both arms at her sides, and kept her head perfectly still.

Lore tried deepening the kiss, but Samantha still refused to respond.

Breaking the kiss, Lore glared at her. "I'm not good enough, is that it? I'm not enough like your precious Data?"

"No," Sam said, though she knew she was already on thin ice. "You're nothing like him."

Angrily, Lore pushed away from her and turned toward the door.

Just as Sam thought that he was going to leave, he spun with inhuman speed and hit her across the face. It wrenched her already injured neck, and she felt when her lip split open, but she refused to cry out.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Turning away again, Lore muttered, "You'll regret this," and then he was gone.

Samantha sank to the floor on legs that would no longer support her, and she started to shake.

She was trapped in a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.

* * *

Sam couldn't hear much through the door of her lonely room, but she had heard enough. The Enterprise was there. Hope swelled in her chest.

She was so distracted with thoughts of rescue, in fact, that she nearly fell on her face when the door was opened.

A Borg stood before her. He grabbed her by the arm before she could react at all, and began leading her out of the room.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked the creature.

"The front chamber," the Borg answered. "Lore requests your presence along with your Starfleet friends."

It was there, high up on a cliff wall that the entire building seemed to have been built around, that Sam saw Data aiming a phaser straight at Captain Picard.

The Borg stood her there, just across from them, and left her. That's when Sam understood. Lore was, indeed, making her pay for her rejection.

"Stop!" Samantha cried out, reaching uselessly toward Captain Picard, wishing that she could pull him out of harm's way.

Lore had taken everything. He had truly and utterly broken her. Data was a puppet, and his brother was pulling the strings. She had been violated and threatened. She had been tossed around like a rag doll. And now she was being forced to watch the man she loved murder their Captain…and she knew that there was no coming back from that. He would be punished, and Starfleet would probably get what they'd always wanted…they would take him apart for cyberneticists to study. Even worse, if he ever went back to normal, he would have to live with what he'd done.

Yet, he hesitated.

"Do it!" Lore hissed.

After an agonizingly long moment, Data lowered the phaser.

"No," he said. "It would be wrong."

Sam saw Lore's expression change, and for a split second he actually looked afraid. His control over Data had faltered somehow.

"Fine," Lore said. "I suppose you've made your choice."

That was when she saw him lift a weapon and point it at Data.

Some guttural sound escaped her, and suddenly her body was moving of its own volition.

She jumped between Data and the phaser fire just in time to take a hit to the left shoulder. The pain was excruciating, but in some small part of her brain she processed that at least she hadn't been vaporized on contact.

What she couldn't process was that she was falling, and everything was slowly going black around the edges.

Data caught her before she hit the ground, and gently lowered her.

Lore had taken off, and Data went after him. The last thing Sam saw was Captain Picard's face, and he looked like he was telling her to stay awake…

* * *

When Sam opened her eyes, she was in Sick Bay.

"Good, you're awake!" Doctor Crusher said with enthusiasm that seemed a bit forced. She immediately rushed over and began fussing with Sam's shoulder.

"You took quite a hit," the doctor said. "Luckily, the wound was cauterized on contact so you didn't lose much blood, but you went into shock."

"How long have I been out?" Sam asked. Funny how often she had to ask that.

"I've kept you unconscious for two days while I rebuilt the muscles and nerves in your shoulder. It can be a painful procedure."

"Were you there?" Sam asked, completely changing the subject. She didn't want to hear about how mangled she had been.

Crusher hesitated but then finally said, "Yes, I was."

"Then can you tell me what the hell happened?" Sam squinted as she searched her own memory. "Data was completely brainwashed, but then…it's like he suddenly got better."

"That was Geordi's doing," the doctor explained. "He used his VISOR to reboot Data's ethical programming. He was still under Lore's control, but he could tell right from wrong. It put him at odds with Lore's orders."

"Smart," Sam said, with no trace of irony. She was very lucky that the Enterprise crew proved themselves capable and brilliant again and again.

"Now ask me what you really want to ask me," Crusher said, giving Sam a small smile.

Sam slowly turned her head and looked up at the ceiling before whispering, "how is he?"

"He's fine now," Crusher told her. "He deactivated and disassembled Lore. I'm sure it was hard, but it was the only way to be sure he couldn't hurt anyone else again. Lore very nearly killed you, Samantha."

"I know," Sam said, looking back to her friend. "But haven't I been on borrowed time for a while now?"

Sick Bay was empty except for a few nurses working on projects, so Beverly pulled up a chair and quietly asked, "is that what you think? That because you could have died all those years ago, you're on borrowed time now?"

"Aren't I?"

"No," Beverly told her, sincerely. "I don't believe that. Just the opposite, in fact. You must be meant to be here, or we never would have found that old satellite, and Data never would have brought you aboard. That decision saved your life, but things could have gone much differently. So that's why I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to."

"Fate," Sam said with a self-deprecating little grin. "Will once told me that fate protects fools, little children, and ships named Enterprise. I suppose I'm lucky that it was a ship named Enterprise that found me that day."

Beverly smiled, this time much more sincerely. "Samantha, he's been asking to see you…but he's afraid you won't want to see him after what happened."

Sam's eyes widened. "Of course I want to see him!"

With a nod, Beverly walked over to a comm panel and summoned Commander Data.

* * *

He arrived with a bushel of yellow roses and a huge balloon shaped like a heart.

Samantha couldn't help the huge smile that spread across her face.

"Seriously?" she asked after he had set the flowers down and emerged from behind the balloon.

Data looked a bit sheepish as he explained, "The computer informed me that these were considered appropriate gifts for a sick or injured person in your time. And I know that yellow roses are your favorite."

Sam reached out a hand, and Data quickly laced his fingers with hers.

"I am sorry, Samantha," Data began. "I was not strong enough to fight Lore's influence over me. I endangered you, and you could have been killed. I cannot help but feel I endanger you far too often."

Sam gently shook her head, squeezing his hand as she did so. "I choose my own fate, remember? I jumped in front of that blast, no one pushed me."

"Yes, but you did it to save me. Lore would have incapacitated me, perhaps irrevocably."

Sam's eyes widened at that. "Really? That's what he was doing?"

Data nodded. "The charge that hit you would have fused my neural net, disabling me and causing me to go offline…most likely indefinitely."

Sam knew her mouth was hanging open, but she didn't have the strength to close it.

"You saved my life," Data finished.

"Well," Sam finally said, "that was my intention. So I'm glad I did."

"As such," Data said, standing and gently pulling his hand away, "when you are well, the Captain has something for you."

Before Sam could question that, Data went on.

"One more thing. What I said about not loving you. I hope you know that was Lore's influence over me. The emotion chip was heavily damaged when I defeated him, so I suppose I will never know…but I believe that if I could love you, I most certainly would."

With that, he took his leave. Sam was still processing what he'd said when she fell back into a restless sleep.

* * *

**THREE DAYS LATER…**

Her left arm was in a sling, but Samantha was feeling human again, so she didn't argue when Data led her to the observation lounge just off the bridge. Samantha had only ever been there one other time, so she was dying to know what was going on.

When they entered, Sam saw that the entire senior staff was present, and they were all smiling at her.

"Okay, who died?" Samantha quipped.

"No one, thank goodness," Captain Picard said, coming around the table to greet her and led her to stand at the head of the table.

"Samantha Marie Jacobs," the Captain continued, without preamble, "for your part in saving the life of this ship's second officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, which then led to the defeat of the criminal Lore, I hereby present to you this honor…"

With that, he produced a rank pip and a comm badge.

"As soon as Dr. Crusher deems you fit for duty, you can get started…Acting Ensign Jacobs."

Sam's mouth dropped open in astonishment as she gingerly took the items from the Captain.

"I can't believe this," she finally said. "Thank you for believing in me."

"It will be hard work," Worf interjected. "You will be working on my security team. I expect much from my staff."

Grinning like the cat that ate the canary, Sam assured him that she was more than willing to learn whatever he was willing to teach.

"One more thing," now Beverly grinned as she handed Sam two thin objects that reminded Sam of camera film.

"And these are?" Sam asked.

"Those," Data said, taking the objects from Samantha, "are two tickets to Risa, a beautiful and exotic planet that many humans find quite enjoyable. We will be taking some leave before you go to work."

"Doctor's orders!" Beverly chimed in.

"You'll love it, I promise!" Will Riker said with a laugh.

Before she even knew it was happening, Sam felt hot tears on her cheeks.

"Thank you all so much," she said. "For everything."

"You're quite welcome," Captain Picard replied. "And thank you for your service to this ship and crew on more than one occasion."

With a nod, she was dismissed. Data led her out and back to her quarters.

"I suggest you start packing," he said. "We leave for Risa in the morning."

Sam jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. He easily held her as she hugged him tightly.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear.

His answer was to simply hold her tighter.


End file.
